Over the last few years the hottest tickets in the box office are movies based on children’s books. Think Harry Potter. Remember Narnia? Now, the current buzz around town is the new movie out based on the book, “The Hunger Games” written by Suzanne Collins. For parents, the age-old decision with which they are faced is whether or not to let their kids see the movie. Here are the important things to consider when making this decision about any movie (not all tips are specific to The Hunger Games):
- Rating. This movie has a PG-13 rating. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) assigns this rating to movies in which they believe parents should be “strongly cautioned.” What earns a movie a PG-13 rating? “A PG-13 motion picture may go beyond the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, adult activities or other elements…Any drug use will initially require at least a PG-13 rating. More than brief nudity will require at least a PG-13 rating…. There may be depictions of violence in a PG-13 movie, but generally not both realistic and extreme or persistent violence. A motion picture’s single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, initially requires at least a PG-13 rating… The Rating Board nevertheless may rate such a motion picture PG-13 if, based on a special vote by a two-thirds majority, the Raters feel that most American parents would believe that a PG-13 rating is appropriate because of the context or manner in which the words are used or because the use of those words in the motion picture is inconspicuous.” Taking this information and using it to inform your decision is the first step.
- Weigh the positive and negative elements. In each movie there are nuggets of positive elements. Some movies have mountains of nuggets, while others look like a bad season at Quartz Creek from the show Gold Rush on the History channel-only a fleck here or there. A great way to examine a movie in this light is to go online before you buy your tickets and read the reviews. Consider checking out these websites when reviewing whether or not a movie is appropriate for kids: http://www.pluggedin.com/, http://www.kids-in-mind.com/, or http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews ).
For the Hunger Games, there are deep, positive threads of loving family, caring for others, and the value of human life throughout the entire story. The main character risks her life for others numerous times. On the other hand, there is bullying and violence. The director has been quoted regarding his desire to tell the story without the violence being overdone. As a parent, you must decide if the good outweighs the bad.
- Consider your child. Simply because a child is 13 years of age does not mean he/she is ready for a PG-13 movie. There is nothing magical about the age of 13 that determines whether or not a child is ready for what is depicted in a movie with a PG-13 rating. The number itself is arbitrary. What the folks at the MPAA mean with that number is that many kids around that age are psychologically mature enough to handle what is being shown. It is not a guarantee, however; you know your child and you know their temperament. Do they scare easily? Do they often have bad dreams? If so, the last thing you want to do is allow them to watch a movie filled with child on child violence. Is your child prone to be disrespectful? If so, you may want to reconsider letting your child watch a movie in which children/adolescents run the show and adults are belittled and portrayed as stupid.
- What is your real purpose behind allowing them to watch the movie? Is it simply so they will fit in with all their friends, because “everyone else is doing it” while ignoring your gut feelings and concerns? If so, think twice. You child will survive if they don’t see the latest movie or play the hottest video game. There will be many other times in which this type of decision will need to be made and you may set a precedent by bending your rules. Are you letting them see the movie against your better judgment simply because it’s the only thing you can think to do together on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon? If so, do a little online searching for some different ideas. (Consider checking out these websites: http://familyactivityideas.com/, http://familyfun.go.com/, or http://www.familieswithpurpose.com/ )
If you do decide to let your child watch The Hunger Games (or any other movie that has more mature themes), watch it together and then talk about it. Talk about what your kids thought about Katniss’s decision regarding the Reaping. Talk about the negative behaviors of the career tributes toward the other kids. Talk about Peeta’s behaviors and his relationship with Katniss. Use those moments to ask them how they think they would behave in those circumstances and why they would choose those behaviors. Communicate with your kids what you believe are acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and why. Most of all, remember that your kids are only kids once. There is an entire lifetime for them to be exposed to adult themes. Consider the facts objectively and make a decision based on what you know about the movie, but most of all, what you know about your child.
http://www.pluggedin.com/Ratings%20Explanation/Movies%20Videos%20Ratings%20Explanation.aspx