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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it would be ok to take my 4 yr old to see HP7

155 replies

Clarence15 · 10/07/2011 15:20

I'm not sure if this is normal but my 4yr old son (along with my 9yr old dd) LOVES the Harry Potter films and has watched them all so far (on DVD) Dh, dd and I really want to watch the final film at the cinema but don't really have anyone we could leave ds with. Even if we did we'd have to keep it secret!

AIBU to think I could take him too? It's a 12A so in theory I could, but although he loves the films there will undoubtably be parts where he'll be asking what's going on or wanting to go to the loo - is this likely to upset the die-hard HP fans?

OP posts:
hermionestranger · 10/07/2011 15:22

We're taking DS1, he's 5 coming up 6. Took him to the last one too. Take him along, he'll love it! [hsmile]

Nagini · 10/07/2011 15:23

go in the morning. I wouldn't take my 4YO DS to see them, too grown up IMO. But your DC so do what you want. If you go in the morning it'll be full of kids anyway.

worraliberty · 10/07/2011 15:23

4 is old enough to understand he needs to go to the toilet before the film starts and he can go again at the end...just make sure you don't fill him up with drinks.

Will he be ok considering the cinema is dark and the films are usually very very loud?

fluffles · 10/07/2011 15:23

i guess if you go during the day and not on the first night or a saturday night then it's probably ok.

i will go with DH (no kids) to a later showing around 9pm to try to avoid kids who talk throughout.

AgentZigzag · 10/07/2011 15:23

I wouldn't take a 4 YO to see a 12A film, what are you thinking??

It sounds like you're basing the decision on whether it's OK for him to see it on the fact you haven't got a babysitter for him.

YABU.

Nanny0gg · 10/07/2011 15:24

Is it not a 12A for a reason?

themildmanneredjanitor · 10/07/2011 15:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stupefy · 10/07/2011 15:27

Yabu.

The later HP films (and books) are quite scary and dark.

Not suitable. Viewing for a 4 year old at all!

themildmanneredjanitor · 10/07/2011 15:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stupefy · 10/07/2011 15:28

Oh and I'd be mighty annoyed if i was sat next to a 4 year old who kept chattering all the way though the film, as would most other people I would imagine.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 10/07/2011 15:29

Yabu - then again, I wouldn't have let a four year old see the last couple either. Even if he isn't scared, I doubt he'd actually understand it.

BertieBotts · 10/07/2011 15:30

You should probably be okay - if you go at the weekend during the day, there will probably be more families there. You could also make up a secret sign between you if he needs to go to the loo maybe - so he wouldn't have to ask loudly?

LesserOfTwoWeevils · 10/07/2011 15:31

YABU. Much too scary for a four-year-old, especially in a cinema, where it's dark.

papermate · 10/07/2011 15:31

Wow, my 4 year old hasn't watched any of them yet! Despite one of them being on weekly, I just don't think they are appropriate viewing!

IslaValargeone · 10/07/2011 15:33

I don't think it's remotely appropriate for a 4 year old to see a 12A film.

Ineedacleaneriamalazyslattern · 10/07/2011 15:33

I wouldn't let dd (nearly 8) see it or any of the later ones and she is no delicate flower she loves Dr Who and all the monsters and things in that but having read the book and seen the first half of this there is no way I would let a 4 year old watch it.

I tend to agree with the ratings on movies and although a 12A makes it a grey area it has that rating and not a PG or something else for a reason.

worraliberty · 10/07/2011 15:35

The 4yr old has already seen the other HP films on DVD according to the OP so perhaps the child doesn't scare easily?

I think he might do though in a dark, loud cinema.

PassTheTwiglets · 10/07/2011 15:36

Sorry for the thread hijack but my DD (8.5) has suddenly become HP-obsessed and I was wondering about taking her but although I've read the book I can't remember how scary it is. I seem to recall that the 1st 3 films are fairly 8yo-friendly (she was a bit scared at some bits but was basically fine) but the latter books/films are much darker and more frightening? I am thinking that we will probably have to go without her and pretend we are going to Asda :)

papermate · 10/07/2011 15:39

We are getting it on DVD, like the other films, and will watch it with our 8 year old at home, she has read all the books, but the last 2 were too dark to even consider a cinema viewing. we will watch it first alone, just to prepare us and her.

Original poster
Clarence15 · 10/07/2011 15:40

Yes I've read the book and know all about the content. You all sound shocked that I could dare to let my 4 yr old watch Harry Potter but like I said, he started watching the early ones with my dd and they've built up to the others together. There are some scary parts and if I'm honest I'm not really going to take him, I just wanted some opinions and to see if any others were taking their young children.

He does tend to flit in and out of the room when he's watching and he probably doesn't understand some of the later films which do get a bit complicated, but they've loved watching all the characters grow up and ds in particular loves talking about them, and the spells and the animals etc.

A 12A film can be watched by an under 12 as long as they are accompanied by an adult and responsibility lies with that adult. However I appreciate that 4 is too young to sit still for that long (well he's nearly 5 actually but anyway) and the content may not be completely suitable.

OP posts:
toomuchmonthatendofthemoney · 10/07/2011 15:41

I haven't let my 5 year old watch any of the HP films yet, i think they are too old for him. I would def not feel comfortable with taking a FOUR year old to a TWELVE film. Maybe cos he is the youngest, he has seen more things than a PFB would, but still ...

My 5yo watches a variety of PG Disney/pixar films on dvd etc which, i feel, are appropriate for his mental and emotional development. We took him to see Kung Fu Panda 2 in the cinema (in 2D) as he had liked the first one and it was a PG, and bits of that freaked him out a bit (the sound is SO much louder too, i think that adds to it) so HP would def be out of the question.

Your kids, your choice obviously, but i guess you are asking cos you are not sure yourself ...

ChristinedePizan · 10/07/2011 15:44

Watching films on DVD is slightly different because you can always FF through any scary bits or they can wander off. I wouldn't take my 4YO because he thinks Finding Nemo is scary so could never cope with HP :o

Has he been to the cinema much before?

Original poster
Clarence15 · 10/07/2011 15:44

Just to add, no he doesn't seem to scare easily - not that I'd deliberately let him watch a horror movie just to find out Confused and he's been to the cinema lots of other times and not been bothered by the dark. He's not telly-obsessed or anything, he just likes Harry Potter. A lot!

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 10/07/2011 15:45

The fact that they might have watched on DVD is irrelevant imo.
There are age restrictions on those too and it's nothing to do with how well(or not) the child can sit still in a cinema!

AgentZigzag · 10/07/2011 15:49

Children can be freaked out just by normal things, so it's not that you can stop them being frightened by monsts under the bed, but why deliberately set him up with 'adult themes' (I think they call them ) and pretty realistic images of stuff that doesn't exist?