The Dark Knight TDK too violent says British MP

[Odin's Lapdog]

the film is too graphic/violent for children.

infact there's nothing in the film i believe that would interest a small child. No one can really advocate for the pencil trick or seeing half a dude's face light up on fire...

 

[TheFuture]

No one can really advocate for the pencil trick

I can, if the camera panned to the floor showing the guy having a fit with blood flowing then yes, it would be too graphic. But it didn't. It's like how when the Joker had the blade in Gambol's mouth. They didn't actually show Gambol having his face slit.

or seeing half a dude's face light up on fire...

I'll give you that, agreed.

 

[IrishFightin]

Hes British, I think his teeth are to violent.

 

[Illstreet]

Isn't this the same country who says that once girls are 16 it's ok for men of whatever age to screw them?

Yeah... But "The Dark Knight" is gonna corrupt thier youth. GTFOH.

 

[Darkfly]

Isn't this the same country who says that once girls are 16 it's ok for men of whatever age to screw them?

Yeah... But "The Dark Knight" is gonna corrupt thier youth. GTFOH.

WRONG, its legal to have sex at the age of 16 but its illegal for an adult to have sex with anybody under the age of 18, please get your facts straight.

 

[Conebone69]

Children under 15 should be barred from cinema screenings of new Batman movie The Dark Knight, a former Home Office minister demanded yesterday.


Labour MP Keith Vaz won't be taking his 11-year-old daughter to see the movie that has a 12A certificate, which means kids under 12 must be with an adult. He said: "There are scenes of gratuitous violence."

In one scene, Batman repeatedly beats the Joker. But the British Board of Film Classification, which has received 80 complaints about the movie, said its 12A decision was justified.

This is ridiculous, jesus, even S-M1 had more risque scenes with violence.

Wow, batman is not violent. Jesus people, stop making this movie sound like the texas chainsaw massacre

 

[Illstreet]

WRONG, its legal to have sex at the age of 16 but its illegal for an adult to have sex with anybody under the age of 18, please get your facts straight.

I was told differently by a freind of mine who lives in London... Told very strongly actually.

But I won't argue dispute it as I don't live there and can't say... Sorry if I was wrong.

 

[CJWilkie]

Here's what the BBFC have to say about their ratings:

12(A):
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.

Language
The use of strong language (eg 'f***') must be infrequent. Racist abuse is also of particular concern.

Violence
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only.

and there was no sex, drugs or violence so those are no worries.

15:
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate to 15 year olds.

Violence
Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Scenes of sexual violence must be discreet and brief.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.

To be honest, I think the 12 rating was perfectly acceptable. There was no blood (except stitching, and smeared against Joker victims' face paint); Two-Face was gruesome, but there was no emphasis on the pain his scarring caused him, and a lot of the more horrible violence (including all of the deaths) only occurred off-screen (Lau burning, Gambol face-slit, Wuertz being shot); there was one use of bad language (son of a) which is totally passable; the fighting was not bad compared to some other 12 films...
...I guess the most difficult part to digest would be the themes presented in the movie. It was dark, horrible, guns pointed at children and people forced to kill each other nasty. But whatever.

 

[Darkfly]

Here's what the BBFC have to say about their ratings:

12(A):
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.

Language
The use of strong language (eg 'f***') must be infrequent. Racist abuse is also of particular concern.

Violence
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only.

and there was no sex, drugs or violence so those are no worries.

15:
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate to 15 year olds.

Violence
Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Scenes of sexual violence must be discreet and brief.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.

To be honest, I think the 12 rating was perfectly acceptable. There was no blood (except stitching, and smeared against Joker victims' face paint); Two-Face was gruesome, but there was no emphasis on the pain his scarring caused him, and a lot of the more horrible violence only occurred off-screen (Lau burning, Gambol face-slit, Wuertz being shot); there was one use of bad language (son of a) which is totally passable; the fighting was not bad compared to some other 12 films...
...I guess the most difficult part to digest would be the themes presented in the movie. It was dark, horrible, guns pointed at children and people forced to kill each other nasty. But whatever.

No need to bold but anyway I guess TDK can just about fit into a 12 (well it did so it must of) but how on earth did Die Hard 4.0 & Batman '89 ever get a 15 rating I will never know.

 

[TheFuture]

Here's what the BBFC have to say about their ratings:

12(A):
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.

Language
The use of strong language (eg 'f***') must be infrequent. Racist abuse is also of particular concern.

Violence
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only.

and there was no sex, drugs or violence so those are no worries.

15:
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate to 15 year olds.

Violence
Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Scenes of sexual violence must be discreet and brief.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.

To be honest, I think the 12 rating was perfectly acceptable. There was no blood (except stitching, and smeared against Joker victims' face paint); Two-Face was gruesome, but there was no emphasis on the pain his scarring caused him, and a lot of the more horrible violence only occurred off-screen (Lau burning, Gambol face-slit, Wuertz being shot); there was one use of bad language (son of a) which is totally passable; the fighting was not bad compared to some other 12 films...
...I guess the most difficult part to digest would be the themes presented in the movie. It was dark, horrible, guns pointed at children and people forced to kill each other nasty. But whatever.

Spot on and that is what I was getting at earlier, any violence that occurred did not go into great detail (i.e. when Joker kills Gambol, when the pen is drived into the goons head) and there is little to no blood.

 

[TheFuture]

No need to bold but anyway I guess TDK can just about fit into a 12 (well it did so it must of) but how on earth did Die Hard 4.0 & Batman '89 ever get a 15 rating I will never know.

It's been awhile since i've seen Die Hard 4 but i'd say probably because of violence towards women and possibly(not sure though) bad language.

With B89 pprobably the sexual innuendo between Joker and Vale at the end. Plus it was 89, different standards probably too.

 

[TheDarkJoker]

And I thought my jokes were bad..

 

[nickyg641]

The movie really wasn't that violent. I think parents just don't really understand how much a kid can really stand to see.

Hell, my eleven year old sister just agreed with me, that the film wasn't particularly violent. It wasn't that much more horrific, than say, the fifth Harry Potter movie. If Ralph Feinnes as a skeletal, reptillian monster murdering British schoolchildren isn't disturbing to kids, I can't see TDK being that much scarier.

The only thing I can see being as disturbing as they say is Two-Face. But, other than that, the violence was bloodless, and the really terrible things are off-screen.

 

[Mog85]

To be really honest with you, I've seen it three times here in Scotland and I was majorly hacked off by the really young kids running around, talking really loud during the movie.

I swear, the last time I went, a couple brought a baby in to the cinema in one of those carriers.....I'm sorry but that is totally irresponsible and unacceptable in my book. A baby's senses are so heightened at that age, the volume of the soundtrack must have been terrifying for him/her.....wasn't long into the first sequence of the film when we heard "WAAAAAAAAAAA!!" anyway.

 

[Mog85]

To be really honest with you, I've seen it three times here in Scotland and I was majorly hacked off by the really young kids running around, talking really loud during the movie.

I swear, the last time I went, a couple brought a baby in to the cinema in one of those carriers.....I'm sorry but that is totally irresponsible and unacceptable in my book. A baby's senses are so heightened at that age, the volume of the soundtrack must have been terrifying for him/her.....wasn't long into the first sequence of the film when we heard "WAAAAAAAAAAA!!" anyway.

 

[Sentinel X]

wet t-shirt, bloke getting impaled by 100mph glider,

lol a wet tshirt isn't risky...nor was the Goblin's death. That was PG-13 material.
I think TDK is far more violent, some innocent guy gets hanged and someone gets a pencil shove into their face but even though it wasn't THAT violent, I still concider it PG-13. There was no blood in the movie whatsoever, even when Joker was being brutally blugeoned by Batman in the interrogation sequence.

If people want to complain about a PG-13 film being too violent complain about Beowulf. That film was bloody, had people being decapitated, ripped in half, getting their heads chewed up......oh I forgot, not too many people cared for that movie.
People are just making a big deal because TDK is really popular but it wasn't that violent. Children 13+ can see it.

 

[Jack O Lantern]

Violence
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.


That is why Batman 89 got 15. There is a scene with Joker dancing why he electrcutes a guy and then he talks to the guys burnt coarpse afterwards.

 

[magus]

I don't know enough about UK ratings to really comment but does the 15 rating over there mean that NO ONE under 15 can go or that they need a parent or guardian? The parent or guardian thing is fine but I see no reason why NO ONE under 15 should go if a parent deems it ok. Nothing in this movie is SO gratuitous that a young teen couldn't handle it.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

ATTENTION all fellow hypers do not take a British MPs opinon seriously. This is coming from a government that is bankrupting its own country to ****ing cut carbon emmisions and all that greenpeace bollox

 

[hatebox]

ATTENTION all fellow hypers do not take a British MPs opinon seriously. This is coming from a government that is bankrupting its own country to ****ing cut carbon emmisions and all that greenpeace bollox

yeah, f**k the environment!

 

[danb26]

Are you saying there was no knife crime and youth violence before TDK? you have got to be mad!! this country has been falling apart for a...(edit)..out spending money on saving the enviroment than saving its people.

I think he was taking the piss man

- Ace, you got pulled in there very easily!!!

Isn't this the same country who says that once girls are 16 it's ok for men of whatever age to screw them?

Yeah... But "The Dark Knight" is gonna corrupt thier youth. GTFOH.

- If you're both 16, then it's fine...but isn't it 13 in Texas?

ATTENTION all fellow hypers do not take a British MPs opinon seriously. This is coming from a government that is bankrupting its own country to ****ing cut carbon emmisions and all that greenpeace bollox

yeah, f**k the environment!

- Hahahahahha, I think you've forgotten the world is lowering (well, pretending to) carbon emmisions. 'All that Greenpeace bollox' might be the funniest thing said in years.

It's like 'Yeah, beat the Seals...who cares, it's all rubbish! Especially his second album!'

Deary me...

 

[Ace of Knaves]

lol. no im not saying its ok to beat seals!! i just mean at the moment half the worlds going through a recession or is about to and all these a-holes in governtment care about is the enviroment. they are spending millions and millions to find new ways to cut emisions when they should be spending it on new prisons, hospitals and schools. and i say "greenpeace bollox" because it is a load of old BS. everytime a big volcano erupts it releases more carbon and smog into the atmosphere than the whole human race combined. so there is nothing absolutly nothing we can do to stop global warming, its just the way it is.

 

[The Game]

Here's what the BBFC have to say about their ratings:

12(A):
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.

Language
The use of strong language (eg 'f***') must be infrequent. Racist abuse is also of particular concern.

Violence
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only.

and there was no sex, drugs or violence so those are no worries.

15:
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate to 15 year olds.

Violence
Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Scenes of sexual violence must be discreet and brief.

Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.

To be honest, I think the 12 rating was perfectly acceptable. There was no blood (except stitching, and smeared against Joker victims' face paint); Two-Face was gruesome, but there was no emphasis on the pain his scarring caused him, and a lot of the more horrible violence (including all of the deaths) only occurred off-screen (Lau burning, Gambol face-slit, Wuertz being shot); there was one use of bad language (son of a) which is totally passable; the fighting was not bad compared to some other 12 films...
...I guess the most difficult part to digest would be the themes presented in the movie. It was dark, horrible, guns pointed at children and people forced to kill each other nasty. But whatever.

Wow I have not seen a movie rated 15 in ages, its all this 12 a,b,c,d trash

 

[danb26]

lol. no im not saying its ok to beat seals!! i just mean at the moment half the worlds going through a recession or is about to and all these a-holes in governtment care about is the enviroment. they are spending millions and millions to find new ways to cut emisions when they should be spending it on new prisons, hospitals and schools. and i say "greenpeace bollox" because it is a load of old BS. everytime a big volcano erupts it releases more carbon and smog into the atmosphere than the whole human race combined. so there is nothing absolutly nothing we can do to stop global warming, its just the way it is.

Seal beater!

Kidding...

You know it's interesting as well the whole 'global warming' debate anyway, because most of what we're being told is spin. The facts state that we really don't know what's going to happen, yes tides might rise, but no-one knows where or how long for definite.

It's a beautiful world wide scare tactic. I do think we should obviously look after what we can, but the government are also always getting angst for not spending enough on schools, etc.

I just know one thing: I wouldn't want to be doing that job, you're in a constant no-win situation.

 

["V"]

To be honest, WALL-E upset me a lot more than The Dark Knight did. I think that your regular twelve-year-old is more than able to watch the film and to be able to distinguish the fantasy from reality; and the kids under twelve who are able to do the same can also go and see it... with an adult. The problems occur when irresponisble parents take children who can't handle such things. With the internet these days it's really rather easy to get an idea of whether a film is suitable for your child or not, and if you are really in doubt, you can go and see it yourself first!

Ultimately, its just the people with too much time on their hands complaining. 80 complaints from 4.7 million tickets sold? That tells the whole story. If they really want to complain about something, it should be because we didn't get the film until a week after America!!