HUNGRY
A group of tourists face an unexpected attack from a hungry hippo.
Should You Watch It?
Yes, but know what you’re getting into. This classic real-life monster horror story follows a group of tourists who must fend off a hippopotamus attack. The premise is silly, especially since the tourists are on a bayou tour near New Orleans, not exactly a likely place to encounter a hippo.
However, like any good horror movie, it skips explanations and focuses on what audiences came to see: suspenseful scenes and monster attacks. While the story feels goofy at times, the cast convincingly portrays the tourists’ fear, making it a fun watch, especially for genre fans.
The story promotes kindness and bravery with characters who work together to help one another, sometimes risking their own lives to get fellow tourists to safety. The lead character, Sistine, often helps others, even when it puts her in danger, while other tourists provide first aid and lend a hand. Sistine and her friend Hannah also share a strong bond, encouraging each other as they struggle to maintain hope.
Parents should know that the movie contains plenty of foul language and violence. It’s not as graphically violent as viewers might expect, since many character deaths involve people being pulled or pushed underwater. Even so, the strong language and gory attacks make it suitable for adults only.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESA group of New Orleans tourists is excited to head out on a bayou tour, where their guide promises they’ll see plenty of alligators. But when they go off course, the group gets more than they bargained for when a hippopotamus capsizes their boat. Trapped on the bayou with no phone signal and few supplies, the tourists must work together to escape the bloodthirsty hippo and survive.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars for a hippo-sized helping of horror that knows how ridiculous it is. This creature feature delivers plenty of suspense, jump scares, and monster attacks, so viewers should go in with a sense of humor.
Rather than waste time explaining why a hippo would lurk in the Louisiana bayou, the story gets straight to the terror. The cast sells the silly premise with convincing performances, and the characters’ personal relationships add some welcome depth to the mayhem.
Where the movie falls short is in its attack scenes. The hippo picks off tourists one by one, but many of the deaths feel anticlimactic. Several happen largely offscreen, with victims pulled underwater or knocked into the swamp.
Viewers sensitive to graphic violence may appreciate the restraint, but creature feature fans could find themselves hungry for more monster action.
The Worldview
The movie has a light moral worldview that praises kindness, bravery, and friendship. After the first hippo attack, the tourists quickly band together. They help each other swim to safety, provide first aid, and risk danger to rescue others. The lead character, Sistine, helps in every crisis, even when she risks her life.
Sistine and her friend Hannah share a strong friendship, and each urges the other not to lose hope. In one brief scene, a character prays to God for deliverance, which adds a light Christian element.
The story also shows the cost of greed. The tourists learn they went off course because one group member paid their guide extra to show them bigger alligators. His greed puts everyone in danger. In another scene, a character lets someone else die to save herself.
Ultimately, the story shows that courage and selflessness help people survive, while greed and selfishness put others in danger.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
A light moral worldview, promoting kindness, bravery, and friendship. Characters help each other, even when it puts their own lives in danger. Two lead characters have a strong friendship, encouraging each other and urging them not to lose hope. There is also a light Christian scene, where a character prays to God to help them
Foul Language
24 obscenities, including three “f” words, 10 “s” words, eight “h” words, one “a” word, one “d” word, one “b*stard”, as well as nine OMGs and one JC profanity
Violence
Several graphic violent scenes, showing broken bones, people being bitten by a hippo, and someone getting crushed by a hippo. There are also non-graphic deaths, showing characters being pulled underwater or knocked into the water
Sex
One sexually suggestive joke
Nudity
A female character bares her midriff in one scene
Alcohol Use
Two scenes show characters drinking alcohol, with one including characters drinking excessively
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drug abuse;
Miscellaneous Immorality
The tour boat went off-course and into danger was because the tour guide was offered more money to take them somewhere where they could see bigger alligators, a character allows someone to die in order to save herself.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The trapped tourists show great bravery in their situation, even putting their own lives at risk to help others. Where does true spiritual bravery originate, and how do we tap into it when we feel weak? Joshua 1:9
Hannah encourages Sistine, urging her not to give up hope. When we are feeling hopeless, how can we pivot away from focusing on changeable circumstances, and onto God’s unchanging character? Hebrews 6:19
Rodrigo’s greed for more money is what lands everyone in this dangerous situation. Why is worshiping wealth just as dangerous as other overt forms of idolatry? Colossians 3:5
The Final Word
HUNGRY is a solid horror movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it a fun ride. Its heroes model kindness, bravery, and friendship, and the story shows that one man’s greed can put everyone around him in danger. Still, heavy foul language, graphic hippo attacks, and some light immorality make HUNGRY suitable only for discerning adults.
