Star Wars: The Force Awakens was classified yesterday as 12A by the British Board of Film Classification, in anticipation of it opening in cinemas in the UK next week.
The BBFC considers the film to be suitable for children aged 12 and over, and does not recommend mums take young children to see it, no matter how much they beg you to! This is because 12A films may upset those under 12, and are likely to contain material that many parents will find unsuitable for them.
Other reasons the BBFC cited the following reasons for its classification, include:
1. Violence
There are frequent scenes of moderate violence, including use of blasters and lightsabers, and dogfights between spaceships. Sight of blood and injury detail is limited and brief.
2. Threat
Occasional scenes of moderate threat include characters being interrogated using 'the Force', which it is implied causes them pain, and characters being held at lightsaber point.
3. Language
There is infrequent use of very mild bad language ('hell', 'damn')
According to Amanda McKnight, spokesperson with MummyPages.co.uk, one of the UK’s largest communities of mums, many parents are considering taking kids as young as seven to the highly anticipated movie.
"We are hearing that a lot of parents are considering taking children as young as 7 years old to see the new Star Wars movie, which is released next week. We are hoping that by highlighting its classification as a 12A and reminding parents why the classification process is in place, it will help them make a more informed decision."
"Classifications are there to help parents and caregivers responsible for children with the appropriate guidance as to whether a movie or DVD is suitable viewing for the young people in their care. "
Urging parents to heed the recommendations, Amanda explained: "If a child is upset by something they've seen, unfortunately they cannot 'un-see' it so it's important to offer some reassurance on the topic to counter their imaginative fantasies which may go into overdrive. This is particularly important, if your child is sensitive, is prone to anxiety issues or suffers from nightmares.”
