“PG-13:Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.”
This is the explanation of the MPAA’s PG13 rating for movies. After what I witnessed on Sunday, I think perhaps we should develop a new rating system to try to figure out which parents need the guidance.
I went to see “The Dark Knight” with a friend of mine on Sunday evening. If you like this kind of movie, it was really pretty good. Heath Ledger’s performance was all it has been hyped to be and even better. It is a VERY dark movie, and his portrayal of The Joker really crawled inside my head at times. There were even a few times I leapt out of my chair a bit or turned my head for a moment. I am a wimp.
The movie was about 3/4 of the way through when my friend and I both looked at each other at the same instant. Had we really heard what we thought we just heard? Yup. The soft little yelp of a scared little girl. My friend and I both noticed parents about 5 rows below us with two small children sitting on their laps. The girl could not have been more than 5 and the boy 6 or 7! Every few moments the kids would turn their heads into mom or dad’s chest during a scary moment.
I found it difficult to enjoy the rest of the movie, because I was really concerned for these kids. I can only imagine the nightmares these children are going to have.
I have noticed we seem to get all up in arms generally as a society when nudity is seen by our young children, but violence seems to be less of an issue. Upon examination, if I was forced to choose between showing my young child nudity or graphic violence…well, there is no contest. I think graphic violence shapes so much in a young child. At least nudity is “natural” (plastic surgery aside…:-)), and someday he is likely to encounter the nude feminine form. (A LONG, LONG time from now Aidan buddy….like 25 years or so!)
I felt really disturbed when I saw these kids at the movie. The little girl, so obviously scared…that image will be with me for a while. For those of you that have seen this movie…is there any way you would take a child of 5 or 6 years to see it? Am I the one losing my mind?
I just saw it last night, and heck no I wouldn’t let a 5-6 year old see it. Some parent just get so selfish - they think that because they can’t get a babysitter, they can go whereever they want, whenever they want.
Ask me sometime about when we went to see Indiana Jones and my poor husband got stuck next to a TWO-YEAR-OLD.
Irresponsible, selfish and immature parents!!! I try my hardest in many aspects not to judge other peoples parenting but this is one that I can’t help.
We went to see a pg-13 horror film several years ago and there was a 3-4 yr old little girl with her parents. I was mortified and, like you, couldn’t enjoy the movie because the whole time I was thinking how messed up that little girl is going to be.
We were invited to a little 3 yr olds bday party once and they had a rated R movie playing in the living room the whole time..very violent and much cursing. I politely got my family out of there quickly as I had very young kids that I like to protect.
Is it any wonder why we have the issues in society that we do when the most innocent are sheilded from nothing?!
*stepping off my soapbox*
On a sidenote I didn’t care for Dark Knight very much but I’m not much into those sorts of movies. I might have been more interested if it weren’t so lonnnnnng but that’s my attention issue rearing its ugly head. All of our friends that we went with LOVED it!!