Matt reeves The batman was officially rated PG-13 – and some fans aren’t happy.
“The Batman deserves an R rating!” ” a Twitter user said, while another one suggested that “no one wants a Batman who isn’t in all his glory: dark, gritty, mature, serious.”
Others have referred to the obvious desire of Warner Bros. Studios to open screenings of The Batman to as many gamblers as possible, including children: “Whack [decision] but predictable ”, one user wrote.
But devotees of The Caped Crusader need not fear. Robert Pattinson’s take on the iconic character certainly won’t be hampered by a PG-13 rating – for several reasons.
First, a PG-13 rating (assigned by the US Classification Board, MPAA) always allows “strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, foul language, and suggestive material” in a movie.
So the Batman is likely to maintain the gritty tone set by its trailers so far. It won’t be bloody – higher age groups are needed for the red stuff – but Pattinson’s Batman ground and pound fighting style looks set to ensure Reeves’ vision of Gotham is up to par. of its bill as the darkest to date.
Second – and perhaps most important – The Batman is the eighth consecutive Batman independent film to receive a PG-13 rating in the United States. Yes really. This means that Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns, Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, and Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises all carried the same certificate.
Remember the creepy face of Scarecrow, the Joker’s hostage-taking plots, Harvey Dent’s grilled face, and Bane’s very public execution of a nuclear physicist? All PG-13.
A history of violence
Director Matt Reeves, in particular, is also known for pushing the limits of the PG-13 rating to the absolute limit.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, as well as the invasion thriller Cloverfield, often have an extremely dark tone, each containing scenes that aren’t exactly screaming for kids.
Those who fear The Batman will be a sanitized, thrill-free adventure through Gotham’s belly, then have nothing to fear. In 2022, a PG-13 rating means less fun in a ball pool and more of an opportunity for Reeves and co. share their take on the legend of Batman with as wide an audience as possible.
Rest assured, the dark knight by Robert Pattinson will be get your hands dirty when the film hits theaters on March 4 – there just won’t be any blood to clean up.
