Not recommended under 13, parental guidance recommended 13-14 due to violence and disturbing scenes
This topic contains:
Children under 13 | Not recommended due to violence and disturbing scenes |
Children aged 13 to 14 | Parental guidance recommended due to violence and disturbing scenes |
Viewers 14 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: | Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi |
Classification: | M |
Consumer advice lines: | Science fiction violence |
Length: | 152 minutes |
This review of the movie contains the following information:
The latest Star Wars film follows on from where Episode VII ends. Princes Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is leading the remnants of the rebel force to a new base of operations. Unfortunately for the rebels, General Huk (Domhnall Gleeson) of the First Order has developed the ability to track ships through hyper-space and has set a trap. So when the rebels reach the location of their new base the First Order, including Supreme Commander Snoke (Andy Serkis), is right behind them.
The First Order fires on the rebels who manage to stay just out of range, creating a short-lived stalemate with the rebels low on fuel. Meanwhile Rey (Daisy Ridley) has been sent by Leia to track down Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and bring him back to help rebuild the resistance.
As both fuel and time run out, rebel Commander Poe (Oscar Isac), recovered Finn (John Boyega) and technician Rose Tico (Kelly Marientran) hatch a crazy and daring plan to raid the First Order’s communications ship. And before the film ends we see violent showdowns between Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey, and Kylo Ren and Luke Skywalker, both with unexpected outcomes.
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.
Good versus evil; family relationships; rebellion; science fiction fantasy
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 last Jedi contains intense extended sequences of violence and peril throughout, including threats to young children, multiple deaths (some gruesome) and the mass destruction of property. 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 disturbed 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 disturbed by some of 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.
Most children in this age group are unlikely to be disturbed by anything in this movie, but parental guidance is recommended for younger teens.
None in the movie itself, but as it is part of the Star Wars franchise, there will be plenty of associated merchandise, including that being marketed to children too young to see the film.
There are some mild sexual references and innuendo in this movie, including:
Nothing of concern
There is some use of substances in this movie, including:
The film contains some occasional low-level coarse language and name calling. Examples include:
The last Jedi, the latest in the Star Wars series, is a science fiction adventure that targets teens and adults, with new and familiar heroes, a suspense-filled story and some clever humour. Younger children are likely to be attracted to the film by advertising in the school holidays and the availability of toys and other merchandise, but the M-rating is appropriate and the film is not recommended for children under 13 and parental guidance is recommended for young teens.
The main messages from this movie is that participating in war is not about fighting what we hate, but about defending and saving what we love.
Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include courage, independence and leadership.
Parents may wish to discuss the over-eagerness with which some of the film’s leading characters were willing to sacrifice their lives to achieve their goals and what the consequences of those choices would be in real life.
Tip: Leave out the first A, An or The
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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
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