Showing public executions, corpses being devoured by wild animals, the bombing of a hospital and people being shot - it’s not, some would say, a typical children's movie. But the latest instalment of The Hunger Games phenomenon has been handed an M classification in Australia – which means it is recommended for mature audiences and not for persons who are under 15, although there are no legal restrictions on access. Following the world premiere of the film in London Monday night, critics questioned whether the classification was appropriate and warned the graphic scenes in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 could ‘normalise’ violence and ‘traumatise’ children. Scroll down for videos . Critics have warned that the graphic scenes in the latest Hunger Games film could 'normalise' violence . The cast of the Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1. It's classification of M has been questioned . Jennifer Lawrence (pictured) at the London premiere of the Hunger Games 3 . In the Hunger Games film, people are being shot at (pictured) although the film has been rated M . The latest instalment of the Hunger Games includes a number of violent or mature themes but the Australian Classification Board says it is only 'moderate' therefore giving it an M rating . Hunger Games London Premiere, Jennifer Lawrence (pictured middle left), Jena Melone (pictured right), Julianne Moore (pictured far right), Natalie Dormer (pictured left), Lorde (pictured far left) and Elizabeth Banks (pictured middle right) New Zealand singer Lorde (pictured middle) got amongst the cast at the Hunger Games London premiere . While it doesn't premiere in Australia until Friday night, the concerns around the rating have been mirrored here. Professor Elizabeth Handsley from the Australian Council on Children and the Media told Daily Mail Australia the M classification is a very broad category. 'The question is whether it sends a strong enough message to parents about the need to be careful especially with younger children,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Prof Handsley says while she hasn't seen the latest Hunger Games film, she has referred to the past two instalments, which also had a classification of M. She says there were a lot of dark scenes and she struggles to fully understand the classifications they were given. 'The M category can include romantic comedies with sex and swearing and then darker films like Hunger Games.' She questions whether Hunger Games should be in the same categories as movies like, 'He's just not that into you' and 'Hulk'. Critics have warned the graphic scenes in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 could ‘normalise’ violence and ‘traumatise’ children . The films have caused controversy for their M ratings with some parents claiming it left their children distressed . An M rating means the film could not be recommended for viewing by persons who are under 15 although there are no legal restrictions on access . The boys of the Hunger Games 3 film, which just had it's premiere in London . The ladies of the Hunger Games 3 film. The Australian classification board has rated it as M saying the viewing impact of the themes and violence in the film was moderate . Actor Liam Hemsworth at the Hunger Games Mockingjaypart 1 London premiere . 'Being in the same category it confuses parents, it's a weak message and it's making it more difficult for parents to make a call on what their children should see,' she said. The Australian Classification Board said in it's decision report it could not be recommended for viewing by persons who are under 15 although there are no legal restrictions on access. It stated the film was classified M as the viewing impact of the themes and violence in the film was moderate. The board says it had a moderate sense of threat and menace, referring to scenes in the film that included skeletal and mummified dead people, the execution of captives and the mental torture of captives by the capital. It argued that while there was an execution of three civilians in front of a crowd, 'it is mitigated by a lack of blood and wound detail'. The board also made reference to the bombing of a hospital and the shooting down of planes, classing them as 'moderate violence'. Katniss (pictured) is involved in a number of violent and mature scenes. Questions have been raised whether the M classification is enough . Hunger Games has been very successful, with it's first two films grossing over $60 million at the Australian box office . Some critics believe the latest instalment of Hunger Games should receive a higher classification due to it's violence and mature themes . Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence (pictured) is seen signing autographs for fans at the London premiere . The capital's, Snow, played by Donald Sutherland (pictures) was at the London premiere for Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1 . The latest instalment of The Hunger Games phenomenon has been handed an M classification in Australia, which has been questioned due to the violence and mature themes presented in the film . The film, released on November 20 in Australia, is the third in the wildly popular series based on the children’s books by Suzanne Collins, which have sold 80 million copies. They have been so successful that there are plans for a stage show in 2016, and the first two films grossed over $60 million at the Australian box office. But both also caused controversy for their same M ratings, with some parents claiming their children had been so distressed that they had to leave the cinema early. Following the first Hunger Games film in 2012, a blogger on Mumsnet.com said, 'My 12 year old was so distressed at one particular part, not long before the end that we had to leave the cinema.' Another blogger said the film was really good but she thought it was stretching the rating. Another said her kids, who were under 13, loved it while another blogger claimed she took her 10 year old as he had read all the books and knew he would handle the film. One parent blogger also said her child had complained that the killing scenes were 'shakey' so you couldn't see what was happening. Roadshow Entertainment Australia declined to comment on the issue saying they don't usually comment on classification matters.
Questions raised over whether latest instalment of Hunger Games should be classified M .
Critics questioned whether the classification was appropriate following the world premiere in London .
Fears graphic scenes could 'normalise' violence and 'traumatise' children .
Released in Australia on November 20 and is third film in the popular series .
Showing public executions, corpses being devoured by wild animals, the bombing of a hospital and people being shot - it’s not, some would say, a typical children's movie. But the latest instalment of The Hunger Games phenomenon has been handed an M classification in Australia – which means it is recommended for mature audiences and not for persons who are under 15, although there are no legal restrictions on access. Following the world premiere of the film in London Monday night, critics questioned whether the classification was appropriate and warned the graphic scenes in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 could ‘normalise’ violence and ‘traumatise’ children. Scroll down for videos . Critics have warned that the graphic scenes in the latest Hunger Games film could 'normalise' violence . The cast of the Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1. It's classification of M has been questioned . Jennifer Lawrence (pictured) at the London premiere of the Hunger Games 3 . In the Hunger Games film, people are being shot at (pictured) although the film has been rated M . The latest instalment of the Hunger Games includes a number of violent or mature themes but the Australian Classification Board says it is only 'moderate' therefore giving it an M rating . Hunger Games London Premiere, Jennifer Lawrence (pictured middle left), Jena Melone (pictured right), Julianne Moore (pictured far right), Natalie Dormer (pictured left), Lorde (pictured far left) and Elizabeth Banks (pictured middle right) New Zealand singer Lorde (pictured middle) got amongst the cast at the Hunger Games London premiere . While it doesn't premiere in Australia until Friday night, the concerns around the rating have been mirrored here. Professor Elizabeth Handsley from the Australian Council on Children and the Media told Daily Mail Australia the M classification is a very broad category. 'The question is whether it sends a strong enough message to parents about the need to be careful especially with younger children,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Prof Handsley says while she hasn't seen the latest Hunger Games film, she has referred to the past two instalments, which also had a classification of M. She says there were a lot of dark scenes and she struggles to fully understand the classifications they were given. 'The M category can include romantic comedies with sex and swearing and then darker films like Hunger Games.' She questions whether Hunger Games should be in the same categories as movies like, 'He's just not that into you' and 'Hulk'. Critics have warned the graphic scenes in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 could ‘normalise’ violence and ‘traumatise’ children . The films have caused controversy for their M ratings with some parents claiming it left their children distressed . An M rating means the film could not be recommended for viewing by persons who are under 15 although there are no legal restrictions on access . The boys of the Hunger Games 3 film, which just had it's premiere in London . The ladies of the Hunger Games 3 film. The Australian classification board has rated it as M saying the viewing impact of the themes and violence in the film was moderate . Actor Liam Hemsworth at the Hunger Games Mockingjaypart 1 London premiere . 'Being in the same category it confuses parents, it's a weak message and it's making it more difficult for parents to make a call on what their children should see,' she said. The Australian Classification Board said in it's decision report it could not be recommended for viewing by persons who are under 15 although there are no legal restrictions on access. It stated the film was classified M as the viewing impact of the themes and violence in the film was moderate. The board says it had a moderate sense of threat and menace, referring to scenes in the film that included skeletal and mummified dead people, the execution of captives and the mental torture of captives by the capital. It argued that while there was an execution of three civilians in front of a crowd, 'it is mitigated by a lack of blood and wound detail'. The board also made reference to the bombing of a hospital and the shooting down of planes, classing them as 'moderate violence'. Katniss (pictured) is involved in a number of violent and mature scenes. Questions have been raised whether the M classification is enough . Hunger Games has been very successful, with it's first two films grossing over $60 million at the Australian box office . Some critics believe the latest instalment of Hunger Games should receive a higher classification due to it's violence and mature themes . Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence (pictured) is seen signing autographs for fans at the London premiere . The capital's, Snow, played by Donald Sutherland (pictures) was at the London premiere for Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1 . The latest instalment of The Hunger Games phenomenon has been handed an M classification in Australia, which has been questioned due to the violence and mature themes presented in the film . The film, released on November 20 in Australia, is the third in the wildly popular series based on the children’s books by Suzanne Collins, which have sold 80 million copies. They have been so successful that there are plans for a stage show in 2016, and the first two films grossed over $60 million at the Australian box office. But both also caused controversy for their same M ratings, with some parents claiming their children had been so distressed that they had to leave the cinema early. Following the first Hunger Games film in 2012, a blogger on Mumsnet.com said, 'My 12 year old was so distressed at one particular part, not long before the end that we had to leave the cinema.' Another blogger said the film was really good but she thought it was stretching the rating. Another said her kids, who were under 13, loved it while another blogger claimed she took her 10 year old as he had read all the books and knew he would handle the film. One parent blogger also said her child had complained that the killing scenes were 'shakey' so you couldn't see what was happening. Roadshow Entertainment Australia declined to comment on the issue saying they don't usually comment on classification matters.
access. Following the world premiere of the film whether the classification was appropriate and the latest Hunger Games film could 'normalise' The latest instalment of the Hunger Games violence and ‘traumatise’ children . The films scenes. Questions have been raised whether the M instalment of Hunger Games should receive a November 20 in Australia, is the third in the wildly popular series based on the children’s