British Film Board Defends Rating Given To New Batman Movie

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has given The Dark Knight, the new Batman film, a 12A rating, in spite of a scene that shows Batman beating up the Joker, which some say is too violent for younger viewers. The Board has received more than 80 complaints suggesting that the film should actually receive a higher rating, such as a 15. The BBFC response is that "a 12A rating states that a film should not "dwell on violence" and "does not emphasise injury or blood".  In the scene complained of, "`the blows were "masked from the camera" and there was "no sign of injury"." The Board believes a higher rating, which would prevent younger viewers from seeing the film, would have resulted in many more complaints. Read a BBC story about the rating and the complaints here.