My 8 year old wants to buy the X-Men DVD. Should I let him? (1 Viewer)

[Marty Lockstead]

Hello John,

It seems that all the points have been already covered. But I have a question for you now: "Would you/or have you let your 8-year-old watch SPIDERMAN?" It's pretty close to X-MEN in terms of comic book style violence despite the fact that it's PG I think. If he can handle SPIDERMAN he should be able to watch X-MEN. Just my 2 cents worth. Regardless, I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

 

[John Pine]

Marty: I may be strange but I don't have a problem with taking him to see Spider-man. However, him owning a copy of a PG-13 video I think is little different. I'm concerned, like some parents(not all)about desensitizing their children to violence, language and sex. But on the other hand, you have to be realistic about things. It's a fine line to walk, one that can't be appreciated unless you are a parent. Someone made the suggestion of "renting" it first. I think we'll rent it and watch it together. I rarely watch movies. I've never been the kind of person to sit down for a couple of hours and watch a movie. If I have spare time, I'd much rather pop in a concert DVD! But this time I think it will be time well spent!

 

[Roland G]

huh ... you may very well be the first HTF member who rarly watches movies

I think you should watch it alone first and than let him watch it.....if you think he can handle it.

I never liked watching pg 13 with my parents....I always liked it more to watch movies alone...funny.

 

[jeff lam]

I think tha ratings are a joke, you can't really go by them. Example: Lord of the Rings... After seeing this movie, X-men is more like G-rated in comparrison (IMO) yet they carry the same PG-13 rating.

I think LOTR was the first PG-13 movie (that I know of)where it was blatently shown that a head was cut off. I thought LOTR was well deserving of an R rating but I guess Teens were the target audience because they read the books and for it to make any money, they needed to let the teens go see it so they had to rate it PG-13. That's my opinion anyway.

I was also told by a friend that they could get away with the amount of graffic violence in LOTR because they weren't humans. I don't see how that has anything to do with it though. Violence is violence no matter if it's a human head or an orc head.

Anyone else feel this way about LOTR?

 

[Chuck Anstey]

Someone asked about criteria from a parents point of view. Here is mine (2 year old and 5 year old):

1. Language: This is the one thing all kids will take from the movies and copy so it is number 1 on the list. Kids are human tape records and parent who accidentally let an "Oh shit" or worse go and had their toddler immediately start repeating it continuously understand.

2. Senseless Violence: Gratuitious violence or man-made violence (people shooting other people, killing for no reason). Semi-graphic natural violence like animals killing other animals for food or man killing an attacking tiger is generally acceptable. Watched "Atlantis" with our 5 y.o without previewing it, won't make that mistake again. The big fight at the end of the movie was too intense. The damage has been done with that movie so she does watch it on occassion. Again, anyone who has their kid ask "Why are all those people trying to kill all those other people?" understand. There is a huge difference between true "cartoon violence" like Bug Bunny / Road Runner and "realistic violence" like Power Rangers, Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles, etc. Almost all kids understand dropping a rock on someone's head or jumping off a cliff is a bad thing. However, most kids think kicking and punching like the Power Ranges or cartoon characters do isn't a big deal up until they are the ones that get kicked in the head. Just monitor a playground or 3-5 year olds and you will understand.

3. Nudity, sexual innuendo: Usually the first two thresholds have been exceeded by the time this might be an issue. The occassional sexual innuendo in a family movie just goes right over their heads and I am not concerned.

Chuck Anstey

 

[David Lawson]

I think LOTR was the first PG-13 movie (that I know of)where it was blatently shown that a head was cut off.

The theatrical version of Highlander III had a decapitation at the beginning (and the severed head continued talking after the fact, no less). I distinctly remember it being rated PG-13; I think the rating was increased to R once it hit store/rental shelves.
In an attempt to salvage some respect for myself, I should note that it only cost me two canned goods to see this film in a first-run theater, and it was the only thing playing that I hadn't already seen.

 

[Todd Hochard]

What kind of cartoons does your son watch? If you let him watch DragonballZ, for example, then, IMO, X-Men is just fine.

Does he watch WWF? Same thing.

 

[John Pine]

Todd: He normally watches X-Men, Jackie Chan, Pokemon and The Mummy. He watches Dragonball Z once in a while. No, he doesn't watch WWF or any other wrestling. Neither of my sons have ever shown much interest in wrestling.

 

[Todd Hochard]

DragonballZ looked mighty violent to me, so the live action X-men ought to be OK for him, IMO.

But, I don't mean to judge you or your parenting with that statement. Just my observation of the 'toon.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

First off, I applaud your taking responsibility for your children, instead of blaming things on others. Thumbs up!

I think LOTR was the first PG-13 movie (that I know of)where it was blatently shown that a head was cut off.

Very soon ,there will be a PG rated film that depicts the same thing

"Remember, it's just like the MPAA says. You can have horrible gratuitous violence, as long as you don't say any naughty words!"

 

[Brad_V]

I was surprised when I saw "Ali" rated "R". Must've been for the couple "F-you's" in there, 'cause the fight scenes weren't all that violent or bloody.

For X-men and the like, another thing to consider is the good versus evil aspect. Something like Highlander has a death every episode, but the violence and death has a moral and reason to it. Just because something has some violence or whatever doesn't mean a kid shouldn't watch it. Kids need heroes who show them right from wrong, good triumphing over evil, etc, (which is why comic books can be great reading). X-men has that. Violence is ok as long as there's a reason for it.