A Good Family Movie which doesn't go too far.

Rating: 8/10 (16 August 2012)

I've not read the books and to be honest I wasn't even terribly interested in seeing this film but I decided to "take a risk" and go and see it as a family movie.
I was a little concerned that the content, being apparently like Battle Royale might not be appropriate for my kids.
I was very surprised. Instead of an action/horror film, it was more like Harry Potter and perhaps the original Willy Wonka with a bit of light violence thrown in.
The story is good and the first half, which is free from violence is full of "wonder" and spectacle. The second half is darker but it never becomes so dark that it's a problem.
My kids, aged 8 & 11 loved it.
I'm stunned by all of the negative reviews on the site but I guess that going in with no expectations makes a world of difference.