Not recommended under 13; parental guidance recommended 13 to 15 due to violence and scary scenes
This topic contains:
Children under 13 | Not recommended due to violence and scary scenes |
Children aged 13 to 15 | Parental guidance recommended due to violence and scary scenes |
Viewers aged 15 and over | OK for this age group |
This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.
Name of movie: | Spider-Man: Homecoming |
Classification: | M |
Consumer advice lines: | Action violence |
Length: | 133 minutes |
This review of the movie contains the following information:
The film opens in New York City where we find salvage operator Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) and his co-workers collecting all manner of strange alien technology buried amongst building wreckage and debris. Without warning officials from the Department of Damage Control arrive and shut Toomes down, ordering him to hand over all of the salvaged technology. Unhappy with the way they have been treated Toomes and his co-workers decide to keep the salvaged goods and go into business for themselves, making and selling hybrid weapons. Eight years later Toomes has taken his salvaged alien technology to new level, including a suit which enables him to fly as Vulture-Man.
Meanwhile teenager Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) is at a loose end after an exciting time fighting with the Avengers and is waiting for a call from Tony Stark/Iron-Man (Robert Downey Jr.) informing him of his next mission. Peter fights crime and helps people in his local neighbourhood as well as attending high school during the day. At school Peter hangs out with his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), is a key figure on the schools quiz team and has a huge crush on popular student Liz (Laura Harrier).
During one of Peter’s night-time neighbourhood surveillance tours, he attempts to apprehend four men using alien weapons to steal an ATM machine. Unfortunately Peter accidentally sets off one of the weapons which destroys an adjacent shop and nearly kills its owner. Peter becomes determined to track down those responsible for the weapons and this leads him to a confrontation with Vulture-Man
Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.
Superheroes; alien technology and weapons; responsibility; growing up
Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.
Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.
The film contains fantasy action violence throughout, some large scale destruction of property, and a violent murder. Minimal blood and gore are depicted. Examples include:
Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.
In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:
Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.
Children in this age group are also likely to be scared by the above mentioned scenes
Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.
Children in this age group may also be scared by the above mentioned scenes
Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.
Younger children in this age group may also be scared by some of the above mentioned scenes
The following products are displayed or used in this movie:
The film contains sexual reference and innuendo scattered throughout. Examples include:
There are a number of scenes of females wearing tight and revealing clothes, and men’s muscular bodies.
Some social beer-drinking
Spider-Man: Homecoming is a superhero action adventure that targets teens and adult fans of Marvel films. Teens are likely to particularly enjoy seeing the teenage Peter Parker. Younger children who like Spider-Man toys and costumes are likely to be attracted to the film, but it is rated M for action violence and features a number of violent and scary scenes. Some parents may also be concerned about the coarse language. The film is therefore not recommended for children under thirteen and parental guidance is recommended for the 13 to 15 age group.
The main messages from this movie are:
Values in this movie that parents may wish to discuss with their children include courage and perseverance, as shown by Peter Parker who has some big responsibilities for a teenager to deal with.
Tip: Leave out the first A, An or The
Selecting an age will provide a list of movies with content suitable for this age group. Children may also enjoy movies selected via a lower age.
Content is age appropriate for children this age
Some content may not be appropriate for children this age. Parental guidance recommended
Content is not age appropriate for children this age
Children and Media Australia (CMA) is a registered business name of the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM).
CMA provides reviews, research and advocacy to help children thrive in a digital world.
ACCM is national, not-for-profit and reliant on community support. You can help.
ABN: 16 005 214 531