To think The Kite Runner film should have a much higher guidance rating....

8 replies

Doowrah · 09/04/2011 22:50

Settled down to this with my DS(9) only to be watching a young lad being raped by older boys! Graphic and contextually shocking with a 12 rating. Be warned...

OP posts:

SarahStrattonHasNiceBears · 09/04/2011 22:53

YANBU I was rather cat bum faced when watching it with DD2, who is 13. Personally, I'd say 15 would be more appropriate.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 09/04/2011 22:54

if it's a 12 then, you know, it's a 12

from BBFC website wrt 12 films:

''may upset children under 12 or contain material which many parents will find unsuitable for them.''

YABU

Goblinchild · 09/04/2011 22:55

Did you not google it before watching?
The rape was the key to the entire book. I haven't seen the film, but I'm surprised it was only a 12.

SarahStrattonHasNiceBears · 09/04/2011 23:04

No I didn't google it. I was given the dvd by a friend to watch. I've not read the book. She said she'd enjoyed it, it was a 12 rating. Personally I don't think a graphic scene like that should be in a 12 rated film. And my DD is 13 so it wouldn't occur to me to google to see if it is suitable.

If it were rated 15 then I would have checked to see why it was a 15. And not watched it.

BitOfFunnyBunny · 09/04/2011 23:09

It is quite surprising what films rated 12 can actually include. As long as it isn't physically shown, and in context, it can be heavily implied.

It is a good film and book though, and hopefully your dd got a lot out of it.

sonearsofar · 09/04/2011 23:13

YANBU - quite agree

WillowFae · 09/04/2011 23:45

YANBU and YABU

I agree that what they can get away with in a 12 is shocking these days.

However, it is down to the parents to decide if a child younger than 12 can watch it. My DS is under 12 and we always either watch the film first or check the BBFC website. A lot of films on there have extended information which explains exactly why it got the rating it did.

www.bbfc.co.uk/AFF242419

"THE KITE RUNNER also has a rape of a young boy which provides the impetus for all that follows in the narrative. The scene is very sensitively handled with the rape only being implied rather than explicitly depicted. The scene is played entirely off the young victim's face, which remains almost impassive, and it is only the blood dripping from under his tunic onto the ground afterwards that reveals the true nature of the assault. At '12A' the BBFC's Guidelines state that 'sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated'. Again, the lack of detail here allows the scene to be passed at '12A'."

nightowlmostly · 10/04/2011 06:01

YABU

Why let your 9 year old watch a 12 rated film then get upset that it's unsuitable for him?

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