Age restrictions on films - how strictly do you follow guidelines?

[greenmelon]

My DP lets his DS's 3 and 8 watch the movie Venon which is certified 15. AIBU to be shocked at this?? My DD is 6 and I'd never let her watch a 15 movie but he seems to think I'm being overly strict!

If anything I was probably stricter with the guidelines in some cases. In other cases, I was perhaps a little less strict, but mainly because I don't find mild sexual references, or the kind of swearword they will hear all day in school, as bad as the censors do. But it would depend on context. By age 10 I would certainly have expected a child of mine to understand that words used by one character in one setting are not necessarily appropriate for a different character in a different setting.

A 15-rated film is almost bound to be inappropriate for a young child, though.

@Mmmmbrekkie I wasn't sat in the living room I was in the kitchen at the time. Absolutely wouldn't have sat there watching if she was excluded.

We watch 12 and decide if suitable for dc1 who's 10 to watch. We have let dc2 who's 7 watch jurassic movies which some are 12 but I was happy enough with dinosaur violence

That’s actively thinking about your choices, which often does doesn’t happen. One of mine was fine with supernatural/horror with monsters, the other really wasn’t. More than 10 years later, still the case.
Matching the film to the children, with an awareness of content is a useful parenting skill.

When mine were younger family viewing meant watching a film that was suitable for the youngest. There are plenty of films available for all ages to enjoy.
He doesn't sound a very responsible parent. Are you sure you want him in your DS's life?

Sorry, meant to put DD!

We're pretty lax but do it on a film by film basis.
DS15- (nearly 16) can watch 18s and we've let him watch select ones from last year. To be frank, by the time he was 13/14 there wouldn't have been much we could show him that he wasn't aware of already.
DD12- Can watch 15s
DS9- Fine with him watch 12's
DD and DS 6- Stick with PG, mostly, though they've probably seen some 12s.
It makes films as a family quite hard to watch and so they've all probably seen some films a bit younger than they should do. Some ratings are just ridiculous, though.

Don't forget 12 rated films would have been 12A at the cinema, so under 12s would be allowed in to see them with an adult. A child under 12 wouldn't be allowed to buy or rent a 12 rated film, but adults may decide it's OK to watch (probably with them)

DD7 had seen all the Harry potter movies aged 6, and I recently let her watch wonder woman which she loved (loves anything with female heroes) definitely wouldn't allow a 15 though

I am fairly flexible on ratings but I need to have seen the film first to make a decision about whether or not it’s appropriate for DD(8).
I think a 15 with mild sex and swearing she wouldn’t be bothered by (but also not interested in either so unlikely to watch). A 15 with violence would be inappropriate though.
She has watched some 12s but others I know would scare her so she hasn’t seen them. There are some PG films that I also wouldn’t let her watch because I know the type of thing that upsets her.

I'm flexible.
Having seen Venom, I'd let my DD9 watch it. However, she might find it boring as there is a lot of talking (plot building). Only swear word I heard was 'shit.' No sex, some kissing. Some sci-fi stuff (think unscary Alien).
I don't see how a 3 year old would sit through it, tbh. Not stimulating enough for a pre-schooler.