Do I let my 5yr old watch Jaws?

[Bananamama1213]

Would you?

He currently watches all of the superhero (iron man, Spider-Man, ant man, guardians of the galaxy, captain America, avengers, Thor) and the villains don't scare him in those.

I got him a Jaws top from Next and he wants to see the film.

No!

It's a suspense movie as much as anything- he's too young to "get" it. He'll understand the scary shark attacks tho, and as PPs say could be scared.

We are fairly relaxed about ratings here, but I'd not show my 8 year old, and they're a seasoned Marvel/Star Trek/Star Wars action sequence watcher. Jaws isn't like a modern action movie at all.

There are quite a few good shark documentaries around, why not watch some with him instead. Jaws is wildly inaccurate and one of the main reasons for the decline in great white shark numbers.Rather than continuing the ignorant persecution of sharks, why not educate him.

absolute madness...
I am another who was trumatised by seeing this film as a young teen..took me 35 years ( i kid you not) to go in the sea again.
I also like a previous poster have had a full on panic attack over movement in the shallows around me and still have shark related nightmares.
I am horrified you would think this is ok for a five year old...whats wrong with postman pat and thomas the tank engine ???
Jaws rated 12 at 5.....hardcore texas chainsaw massacre at 6 ???

You can't compare jaws to Spider-Man

My sister saw jaws by accident at 6 and be it that was only one scene. She's now 34 and has a very real fear of sharks. I wouldn't risk it

absolutely not.

That film has done ore to damage shark conservation than anything.

Quite apart from scaring people stupid, you have to be old enough to appreciate the reality of sharks is quite different, and that they need protecting

I agree totally with Mrs Pestulance.

it is immoral to show it to anyone not capable of understanding the conservation implications

I watched it last week. It was a movie my friends and I watched on repeat when at primary school (aged 10/11 I think) and came out unscathed. I had been thinking we should watch it for family movie night as I had loved it so much as a kid, but after seeing it last week there is no way my 9yo is watching it. Super scary! Still brilliant though.

The discovery channel has shark week so there are loads of brilliant documentaries floating about.
Blue planet and other shows do some great shark episodes.
Ds1 is 7 and for years (until he discovered rocks and minerals) was mad about sharks.

I'm rewatching it now for probably the first time in 32 years 🙀 so much nostalgia for the seventies, like a physical pain

I saw it at my childminders when I was 5 or 6 and had an intense fear. Nightmares for months inc sharks in the swimming pool. Even now my heart races near a swimming pool vent. I've never swam in the sea. Or even gone past mid calf. I feel almost faint at the thought of actually swimming.
I know it's completely irrational though.

BzyB you are not alone..i know my fears are irrational hasn't stopped them, i have many friends ( some big burly rugby playing blokes ) who have similar ...all from watching jaws movie as young children

No way

It's scary and bloody and disturbing

What a strange thing to ask. Are you real?

Call me an old fart but those other films are too violent for a 5 year old too.

No. But then I do t let my 5yo watch the marvel films either as I don't think they are appropriate for a 5yo either

I used to teach a 4 year old whose favourite film was Jaws
He used to get upset when pther children said they were scared of sharks

No, absolutely not. And he shouldn't be watching all those other films you listed either (the villains not scaring him is irrelevant).

My parents took us to see JAWS when it originally came out (what were they thinking???) and my brother aged 8 had horrible nightmares for weeks afterwards. I was quite traumatised too, aged 11.

Apparently it was an 'A' certificate when it was released. At the time that wasn't considered appropriate for under 14's to watch alone.

My parents must have been unusually slack about Jaws .

Fuck no! He'll never go in the water again!

I used to teach it to teenagers and they would be freaked out, especially when Richard Dreyfus is exploring the boat underwater...

No absolutely not. Superb film though!

No way. There's a rotting decapitated head in one scene.? Genuinely terrifying in parts.

I saw Jaws when I was 5 (I am 37 now). I absolutely loved it and it started a life long love of sharks for me...! I drew pictures of sharks and scuba divers for months and months afterwards!

I am still obsessed with sharks and the ocean and hope to do a marine biology course at some point!

I let my dd watch it at the same sort of age and she wasn't scared by it but wasn't remotely interested in it either! High school musical was far more appealing!

Use commonsense media website - its brilliant at spotting which films to avoid. Jaws is definately one we pondered before giving an absolute no for a six and nine year old to watch as a scary saturdaynight film.

My 6 year old has loved it for at least a year. She isn't remotely scared by anything tho and also loves gremlins.