10 year old watching 15 rated films.

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My son loves history and loves a period drama/binge watch. Something we enjoy doing together.

I was thinking of letting him watch 'gladiator' and 'saving private ryan' with me.

They are both over 20 years old and rated 15 back then.

No sexual scenes that I can remember. Obviously violence but in context of the story.

Do I wait a bit or would you go for it?

child dependent
but with mine… i’d go for it

https://www.commonsensemedia.org
is useful for the details you might be worried about.

I’d personally avoid Saving Private Ryan, the first scene on the beaches is horrendous.

Thank you he's pretty mature and he's enjoyed studying Rome at school. He asks loads of questions.

He loved all the light we cannot see on netflix about the blind girl in france during the war. He's been asking for something else to watch together.

Oh thanks for this I'll take a look. X

Depends on the child. Both of mine were always very mature and w3atching stuff like this.

Any other recommendations?

Agree the violence is "in context" but that first scene in Private Ryan is very very graphic - I couldn't watch it and i'm in my 50s...

I remember going to see Saving Private Ryan at the cinema. I was dragged along by my then boyfriend and being really stressed out by the first 15 mins. I remember really graphic scenes of people being being blown up, lost limbs, on fire, screaming in pain, shot, dead bodies and blood. Was not an easy watch. After that there are still violent scenes but it is continuous like it was at the start.

Maybe I should start the film after this

Unsure tbh, it's one thing being mature and keen on history for their age. But I'm a big believer that what you see visually then becomes a part of you. I'm not sure children need that kind of imagery in their heads at such a young age.

Is there anything similar but more age appropriate that you can think of?

What about band of brothers?

Just wait to watch it - the beginning scenes are there for (historical) reason and there’s no point watching the sanitised version at 10 when he could just wait a couple of years. There is also the emotional context of the family being told they have lost their sons, etc - just find something more age-appropriate.

I agree SPR is a film to save to when he's a fair bit older. Even as an adult it's a hard watch.
My film knowledge is terrible but I'm wondering if it's worth looking towards much older movies that tend to be less graphic but still portray the history?

Haven't seen the film/TV mentioned here, but we've always done things on a case by case by basis. Some 15 rated things my DC watch aged 11, some I'm still saying no to now they're nearly 14.

Agree common sense media is a good tool. Some of the advice you might not agree with - for example lots of American posters there take a dim view of depictions of alcohol use - but there is a lot of detail baking it easy to consider appropriateness for your child.

We let ours watch some 15s that we've watched before and know if we think they can handle it or not, also have occasionally skipped scenes that might be unsuitable.
I think a lot of 15s from 20 years ago would be 12A now.

Pearl Harbor has the terrible love story throughout but I don’t remember it being too graphic - was that released as a 12A?

Also yes I agree with others, I would start saving private Ryan after the opening beach scene, I remember it being very graphic

What about Apollo 13,
The Monuments Men,
The Imitation Game,
The King's Speech.

That is just off the top of my head.

War Horse? (First World War but adapted from Morpurgo’s book for children)

Yes! He will love the kings speech. Thank you

Oh oh course. Thank you. We will definitely watch this x

Gladiator has that horrific scene where his family are violated and hung. It disturbed me as an adult.

He doesn't mind a terrible lobe story. He's soppy ha this is another great suggestion thank you x

I also like commonsense media for the same reason as @StrangewaysHereWeCome - some of the things that get a film rated a 15 or even an 18 seems absolutely fine to me, and other things are definitely not! I don't mind swearing in a fim - we've had lots of conversations about what language is appropriate for different people at different ages, and I also don't mind nudity but I DO mind graphic sex scenes. The 1995 movie Hackers was rated 18 for one microsecond fleeting glimpse of a nipple whereas Oppenheimer was rated 15 and has a long shot of Florence Pugh just sitting in a chair topless while chatting.

Anyway in terms of recommendations my DSs (nearly 11 and 13) have recently enjoyed Gladiator, Master & Commander, Hunt for Red October, Casablanca, Dam Busters, the Great Escape, Yojimbo, Goodbye Lenin, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (not historical but actually funny), the Truman Show. I haven't yet seen Jojo Rabbit but that might be a WWII one to watch as well.

On our list at the moment (we put lists of films into the wheel of names on holiday and the kids spin the wheel when we want to choose something): Forrest Gump, Troy, All the President's Men, Invictus, Invisible Figures, the Queen, the King's Speech, Gosford Park.

One that has NOT aged well is Ace Ventura Pet Detective. Jim Carrey's schtick is still funny but too much casual sexism and homophobia to be enjoyable.