Ok, so we know that The Dark Knight Rises is rated PG-13. Big deal, right? Absolutely! However, there are others making it more of a BIG DEAL. The rating plays a huge part in the box office, in which a number of people have their concerns about the movie.
1. Box Office Domination
What comes with a PG-13 movie are younger audiences. Since the movie is coming out in the summer time this means the kids are out to play without their parents. A PG-13 movie means that a child around 13 can come see a movie without their parents. Kids are more likely to come to the movies and keep coming because of their free time. So, The Dark Knight Rises might be able to break box office records this summer because of the little kiddies and fans alike. An R rating would have banned younger audiences from seeing this movie forcing Warner Bros to rely on adult audiences to bring in movie money. It’s marketing at its best!
2. Rating Attack: Parents Outrage
Many parents believe that The Dark Knightwas too violent with dark
themed elements and intensely disturbing. Parents were sure that The Dark Knight should have been rated as R. Instead, it was rated PG-13 even though the violence was blatant the movie was rated PG-13. According to how things are for MPAA, violent movies receive lesser ratings where as movies with subtle sex scenes and little use of the F word is rated R. Maybe this time around parents might take a firmer hand against The Dark Knight Rises.
3. TDKR = Too Hot (Sensuality)
When the rating was given, sensuality was listed. Ears pricked up and frowns were made. Is The Dark Knight Rises going to get sexy for the finale? Bruce has two women, Miranda Tate (Talia) and Selina Kyle who might be interested in little ole Brucey. Kit Borys suggests a more reasonable suggestion for the movie’s sensuality:
“But by singling out “sensuality” in the label, the ratings board might be indicating that this movie has something new to show about the Caped Crusader. It might also preview a more emotional side of Nolan, whose films have been described as more cerebral than emotion-filled.”
That is an interesting perspective towards the listed sensuality. Nolan might be changing the game a little for the finale of this sweet trilogy.
4. Rating = Finished
Since The Dark Knight Rises has a rating, it means that the movie is DONE! The scoring is done and the sound effects are done as well. Granted there may be some tweaking along the way, but so happens Nolan is efficient at what he does. Famous motto: TRUST IN NOLAN! Basically, this means that there will be early screenings of the movie. Teasers will come, virals, and tons upon tons of merchandising. It has already started, the emptying of your pockets has BEGUN!
So compare guys, do you think The Dark Knight was fairly rated? What do you think of Kit Boyrs’ suggestion of the movie’s sensuality? Is the MPAA‘s criteria rating totally craptastic? Do you still ask what is the BIG DEAL ABOUT RATINGS ANYWAY? Leave your comments below or on DKN Facebook.
Source- The Hollywood Reporter via The Week
Entertainment Weekly, The Wrap, and Collider
-Kristina