NEWS - Prometheus receives an R rating

There has been a lot of news released this week, revealing trailers for film, images, casting news and there has even been a logline released for the new Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright film. Instead I have picked to share with you the decision for Prometheus to be rated an R, or an 18 to us in the UK. The reason I have gone with this is because the rating of films seems to have become a little farcical of late, and let me indulge to you why. Warning I will rant!!

Firstly let's start with the news itself. Prometheus is rated an R, which to me is exactly how it should be. Many had stipulated that the film was going to be given a PG-13, or 12A, which would mean people under that age could watch it with an adult. Could you imagine a 7 year old going in the cinema to see Alien? They would be scared out of their wits. This film is not a prequel to the Alien franchise, apparently, but there do seem to be many similarities shown in the trailer. If Scott wanted to achieve anywhere near the same affect he achieved with Alien than this film had to be given an R rating. It doesn't half anger me when a horror film made years ago was released as an R and the sequel a few years later is a 15, already you will know it won't hold the same tense feel as the original. The Terminator films are a prime example of this. The first one was an R and was frightening, the fourth one was a 12A and wasn't frightening at all. Prometheus needed to be an R! I wish companies would stop aiming for a lower rating in order to gain a larger audience. Can it not be about the film and the audience as opposed to the money?

 I'm going to keep going here and moan about the 12A certificate that was brought out in the UK after the release of Sam Raimi's Spiderman. Initially the film was given a 12 rating, so parents complained that it was a superhero movie and that their children would want to see it. I can understand this but there must be something in the film that isn't suitable for under 12's or the board wouldn't have classified it that high. Of course the board then changed to a 12A and now it is a warning as opposed to a restriction. Now there are films released as a 12A where young children can go into, and the film is clearly not suitable for them. The Dark Knight was a 12A. Now a 12 year old might not be afraid of the Joker but a 5 year old would, and according to parents their children should be able to watch it as it is a comic movie. It is a dark version of a comic and that is why it should be simply a 12!

I watched Avengers Assemble the other week and it is rated a 12A. There were children as young as 7 in there who would not shut up when it came to the talking parts of the film which sets up the action. Children find that sort of stuff boring and Avengers Assemble is not a film for 7 year olds. Children in the cinema annoy me when the film is clearly above their age range, they become bored and need the toilet, and then sweets! I don't mind in a children's film but I can't stand it in a more grown up movie. Now production companies aim for this certificate in order to bring in wider ranges of audience. Do it for the love of film people, not just the money!

Right I've decided rant is over! I wander if any of you agree with me or think I'm talking rubbish. At the end of the day the main bit of news here is that Prometheus has been given an R rating, which makes me even more excited for it.