Is ‘The Hunger Games’ Too Violent for Your Kids?

Along with all the hype over "The Hunger Games", there's also been some hysteria about whether or not you should take your kids to see this movie.

It's rated PG-13, and by all accounts, that rating is well earned.  The movie is about an oppressive government that pits children against each other in a battle to the death.

It's not clear how graphic the deaths are, but "Time" film critic Mary Pols says, "Nearly two dozen kids aged 12 to 18 die by machete, sword, blows with a brick, a spear to the chest, arrows, having their necks snapped.  All damage inflicted by each other."

She adds that the tone of the book is,  "somber, disorienting, and permeated with an underlying sense of mourning that doesn't fade with victory."

Obviously, it's up to you as a parent to decide what you think your kids can handle.  And every child is different.  But if they're particularly young and haven't read the book, it's probably not a good idea to subject them to this.

What do you think?

Watch the trailer for 'The Hunger Games':