
Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
The Starving Games
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Lowbrow, violent spoof with plenty of juvenile sex humor.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Starving Games
Community Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Amazing satire comedy
Report this review
Worst movie ever
Report this review
What's the Story?
THE STARVING GAMES is a straightforward spoof of The Hunger Games and follows its plot pretty closely. Heroine Kantmiss Evershot (Maiara Walsh) volunteers to take part in a reality-show-style survival contest. One by one, all the other contestants are killed until only she and Peter, who has a big crush on her, are left. Most aspects of the original story are here, including the dystopian government and the conflicting love interests between the boy back home and fellow contestant, although the ending's different in service to the parody.
Is It Any Good?
As uninspiring as its title, The Starving Games serves up crass, juvenile humor in a vehicle for little else than gratuitous violence, sexuality, and pop-culture references. Some kids and teens may find a lot of humor in it, until the popularity of Taylor Swift and Angry Birds fades, but even so they won't enjoy sitting through a movie that strikes the same note over and over again. If you have a bunch of older kids and teens who want big laughs on a Friday night, see our handpicked alternatives below to show them how spoofing should be done.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes a good spoof. Does this movie make you think about The Hunger Games any differently? Can you tell what the filmmakers think of Hunger Games? Why do you think they made this movie?
How funny do you think the movie will be in a few years, when the pop culture and products spoofed in the movie aren't popular anymore? Do you think this movie has any lasting qualities?
If you could spoof a current pop-culture trend, what would it be, and why?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 8, 2013
- On DVD or streaming: January 21, 2014
- Cast: Maiara Walsh , Brant Daugherty , Cody Christian
- Directors: Jason Friedberg , Aaron Seltzer
- Inclusion Information: Latino actors, Indigenous actors
- Studios: Louisiana Production Consultants , The Safran Company
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures
- Run time: 83 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: Crude and sexual content, comic violence, language and partial nudity
- Last updated: March 3, 2022
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate