The Dark Knight Will it be too dark for the children?

[Solidus]

I think it will be a dark film, but that won't necessarily make it unsuitable for children. Empire Strikes Back, as someone else mentioned, is a very dark film and that was a 'U' (UK ratings). In my view, B89 was much more unsuitable for kids than BB. B89 had some downright disturbing stuff (acid on girlfriend's face etc) whereas BB was dark, but I would not mind my boy watching it at all. I think The Dark Knight will follow in the same vein - very dark, but not at all disturbing, and hence watchable by kids and adults alike.

That said, I do think BB is perhaps a bit too slow for most young kids. I can see a lot getting itchy feet when they realise we don't even see Batman til about almost halfway through. But that's a different matter.

Yes thats very true. I mean it's not like this series is like FF, or Transformers where there is action every second, or something flashy and exciting happening. Another way to put it, TDK is being thought of: Adults first, kids second. Is the priority on their list.

 

[TheBatman072]

I hope so. I sincerely do.


I didn't get that from Venom, so I damn well better get it from Joker.

 

[cryptic name]

Is there something about this thread that makes it different than the Ratings thread?????

...the children?

 

[CaptainClown]

ya this is a rating thread in the guise of a protect the children thread

 

[Solidus]

No this is really to me about the dark themes, rating is another story. There are many PG-13 movies I would say are not suitable for the young, as well as some R movies that actually are just fine. He did not ask if this was going to be rated R, this has nothing to do with the paid off MPAA.

This has to do with the subject material that we know, and how dark it is. TDK will be PG-13 no matter what, but it does not mean it will not be dark. And to me the dark matter is the subject at hand.

 

[CaptainClown]

IT is just about the same arguments as a rating argument. Just replace dark with rated R

 

[Solidus]

It's not going to be Rated R, to me thats clear and simple. It is now just asking even though PG-13 is this movie too dark for the very young?

 

[CaptainClown]

it is a rating within a sub division. A light pg13 or a hard pg 13. Nothing is really getting anywhere and we need more news about TDK

 

[Solidus]

it is a rating within a sub division. A light pg13 or a hard pg 13. Nothing is really getting anywhere and we need more news about TDK

I could not agree more. It is driving me insane. I hope soon.

 

[Cowleen]

Eff the children. Buy 'em a nightlight.

 

[Mr. Socko]

I don't think any one is listening to what I said. I did not say that it needs gore, and IT WON'T.

But let's just recap some scenes described from Wizard Con, and The "Sides"

-Joker shoots a bank manager, right in the head
-A man has a bomb in his chest. He will blow up
-A hospital is destroyed with innocent people most likley still in side.
-A barge scene with innocent people about to die.
-The Joker killing random Gothamites in the street with a machine gun.
-Drug dealers worrying about the Batman

I mean I did not Mr. Socko say anything about gore and blood, I don't want that. But if you read my posts you can see, that the subject matter of TDK is quite dark for people under the age of 9 or 8. Aesticaly it will be fine for little kids to watch, but just because the MPAA says it's ok does not mean that it is not a dark movie.

I mean this is the country where if people get murdered and killed on screen, parents are like. thats fine. But if there is a breast or talk of sex on screen parents freak out and go OH MY GOD NOOOOO!!! Just shows how sick this country can be.

But visualy it is not going to have lots of guts and gore. But I think it is a dark movie, maybe too dark for the very young. Which is the Spider man kids and Fantastic Four targets.

Oh, no problem. I know what you're saying. My post wasn't directed at you, I was just being sarcastic in general.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

It doesn't need to be any darker than Batman Returns. If it is, that's out-and-out rediculous. Being uber-dark doesn't make it cool. The Joker's a murderer. We don't need to see the murders in any horrific detail, and if we do, I think they're missing the point of the character, and it'll be a disaster with parents.

Look at B89. It was the fact that he killed, not how gross the killings were. Besides, death with perma-grin is gruesome enough.

I think it's incredibly immature to salivate at the prospect of extreme darkness. It can be cool and adult and serious without going to extremes.

 

[Solidus]

Oh, no problem. I know what you're saying. My post wasn't directed at you, I was just being sarcastic in general.

LOL, no problem bud.

But to Doc, there will be many murders, and it will show them in context with out gore, but from what we have seen and heard it will not be with "Laughing gas" If you read the descriptions of the WizCon footage and the Sides, Joker kills almost everyone with a Gun. So it will be more gritty and dark whether parents like it or not. I still think it is aimed towards adults more but allowable for children.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

But to Doc, there will be many murders, and it will show them in context with out gore, but from what we have seen and heard it will not be with "Laughing gas" If you read the descriptions of the WizCon footage and the Sides, Joker kills almost everyone with a Gun. So it will be more gritty and dark whether parents like it or not. I still think it is aimed towards adults more but allowable for children.

I find that disappointing. I mean, about the no laughing gas. That's a Joker trademark and I'd want to see it at least once in the film. But then, it's a tad early to tell, maybe there will be a gassing or two.

 

[redfirebird2008]

I find that disappointing. I mean, about the no laughing gas. That's a Joker trademark and I'd want to see it at least once in the film. But then, it's a tad early to tell, maybe there will be a gassing or two.

My guess is it will show up at some point, kind of like Batman's detective skills are supposedly being developed more in TDK vs. BB. It sounds like The Joker will come back for the 3rd film, so that gives Nolan more time to continue developing the character so he does not have to cram everything into one film.

 

[TromaFreak64]

Wow, no need to be a dick, which you seem to be right now.

I'm glad you took it from argument to name calling... I'll let it slide but Morg and C. Lee would love to jump on something like this...

I guess to re-define my statement is that is the movie to dark for kids? Thats subjective to opinion, and to each indvidual parent. Are they more complex with much more adult targeted themes, and complex story. Yes. Sorry to call you a dick man, but from what I read, you were being quite rude to a statment that I to that point had not heard Nolan say otherwise. So show me the source as well, before you just rip on some one for giving their opinion.

This is the most important thing you've said and this makes your argument much clearer....

1.) I'll be suprised if this thread last cause it is the same discussions as the rating thread and if you haven't noticed they are doing some house keeping around TDK for just this sort of thing.

2.) I don't think anyone here is arguing you about it being dark... just about it being adult.. of course kids will followed the film, but when they rewatch it they are gonna pick up way more once they are older like the films and comics you mentioned -- I don't see where that was the argument... but up until recently your argument seemed like it was "adults only" not "big budget everyone film with dark themes" -- it sounded more like "on screen carnage" neccessary.

 

[jmc]

Less kids in the movie mean less noise, all kids seem to do is shout out and complain .

Bring on the darker tone I say!

 

[TheScarecrow]

Yes thats very true. I mean it's not like this series is like FF, or Transformers where there is action every second, or something flashy and exciting happening. Another way to put it, TDK is being thought of: Adults first, kids second. Is the priority on their list.

I've never understood why people complained about TDK being 'tedious' at the beggining. Spider-man didn't appear until 40 minutes or so into his origin movie. Fantastic Four had only a couple of action scenes - mostly lame.

In Begins, Batman never appeared until an hour in - but I can think of 3-4 fight scenes that occured during that period.

 

[JackBauer24]

I don't think any one is listening to what I said. I did not say that it needs gore, and IT WON'T.

But let's just recap some scenes described from Wizard Con, and The "Sides"

-Joker shoots a bank manager, right in the head
-A man has a bomb in his chest. He will blow up
-A hospital is destroyed with innocent people most likley still in side.
-A barge scene with innocent people about to die.
-The Joker killing random Gothamites in the street with a machine gun.
-Drug dealers worrying about the Batman

I mean I did not Mr. Socko say anything about gore and blood, I don't want that. But if you read my posts you can see, that the subject matter of TDK is quite dark for people under the age of 9 or 8. Aesticaly it will be fine for little kids to watch, but just because the MPAA says it's ok does not mean that it is not a dark movie.

I mean this is the country where if people get murdered and killed on screen, parents are like. thats fine. But if there is a breast or talk of sex on screen parents freak out and go OH MY GOD NOOOOO!!! Just shows how sick this country can be.

But visualy it is not going to have lots of guts and gore. But I think it is a dark movie, maybe too dark for the very young. Which is the Spider man kids and Fantastic Four targets.

Let's not forget the public hanging.
And the SWAT guys being thrown out of a building.
Oh, and the mayor being executed by firing squad.

...and the guy who gets half his face melted off by sulphuric acid.


My, this is going to be quite violent come to think of it.

 

[The Empire Ape]

Ahh not always. Maybe your thinking just in one term of media, like TV, yes they have SO FAR been targeted to all ages. But I bet you don't want a little 9 year old reading The Killing Joke, or Dark Knight Returns, or Batman Year One, or The Long Halloween even. Too much killing blood and gore.

I was younger than 9 years when I read those comics (except TLH, of course)

And where is "blood and gore" in those comics?

The only "mature" comic is TKJ, but well, exception.
DKR is a little bit too hard to understand for young children, but it's not more graphic violence than the regular comics in that time.
"The Cult" is violent, but kids love those dark stuff.

It's the kids who watch stuff like Braindead and Evil Dead secretly. Not adults.

 

[Orb]

Well to mean it will be like how SM3 was. Its not gonna be TOO dark. But there would be dark moments thou. But Not enough to scare the children turst me I saw kids who want to get scared, who want to see dark movies and want to watch violent movies. Some even saw 300! So I think it be not to dark for children.

 

[Solidus]

I'm glad you took it from argument to name calling... I'll let it slide but Morg and C. Lee would love to jump on something like this...



This is the most important thing you've said and this makes your argument much clearer....

1.) I'll be suprised if this thread last cause it is the same discussions as the rating thread and if you haven't noticed they are doing some house keeping around TDK for just this sort of thing.

2.) I don't think anyone here is arguing you about it being dark... just about it being adult.. of course kids will followed the film, but when they rewatch it they are gonna pick up way more once they are older like the films and comics you mentioned -- I don't see where that was the argument... but up until recently your argument seemed like it was "adults only" not "big budget everyone film with dark themes" -- it sounded more like "on screen carnage" neccessary.

Sorry to stooping down to name calling, and I hope you will accept my appology. But man you were quite rude with pretty much calling me a liar in caps, technicaly yelling at me saying that I was wrong about the Nolan thing and you did not provide me a link. I believe ya man but I had never read that interview, so to just flat out call me a liar, with out using the word, is as harsh as name calling my friend. But water under the bridge.

As for the topic at hand, yes I'm glad I could explain and more detail. No I'm not the type that likes carnage in my movies, I mean I hate those Saw movies to death, to me it's just like "gore porn" To me I think a lot of the dark material, themes and concepts of TDK will be clearly adult oriented through and through. Yea kids are welcome to watch, but it's not like Transformers or FF, or *Sadly enough Spidey 3, which should of had darker themes in dealing with Venom* TDK to me is just a dark themed movie.

and to The Empire Ape, I'm pretty sure there is some blood and dark stuff in TDKR, I will have to later go grab it off my book shelf and look through it. But it is pretty dark stuff, Miller is well...Miller. Dark and Gritty is his middle name. And yes TKJ is a big one, as well as Batman Year One. Catwoman is a prostitute, so that says a lot of it's aiming of adults.

But all I care about now is getting some pictures or something. We need some more to talk about! I don't know about you guys but I'm getting antsy.

 

[Nightwing1977]

Of course TDK will be too dark for children. I heard Jett said TDK is more darker than BB. Not to mention they're trying to made it more adulted tone, so I see no problem with it being darker.

 

[The Empire Ape]

Of course TDK will be too dark for children. I heard Jett said TDK is more darker than BB. Not to mention they're trying to made it more adulted tone, so I see no problem with it being darker.

well, where was BB dark? It was not bright and colorful visually, that's true, but the plot wasn't dark. It was more straight-forward-James-Bondish action.

 

[ElToro]

Of course,the kids will love it.Kids always want a superhero.