ricwhite

I think they would have attracted a greater audience if they went for a PG-13 rating on the Matrix trilogy. This movie also really attracts the "teenage" crowd -- many of which will not be allowed to see it because of its rating. Is the R rating really necessary? Couldn't they have toned down some of the language and sexual content in favor of a PG-13 that would not have diminished any of the "important" content.

My twelve year old son is really disappointed that he won't be able to see this movie.

theneobez

I feel his pain. . .but the only acceptable way to see the movie is in its unaltered form. Even if it is just a bit of sexual content and some language. Hell, there's a chance I won't be able to see it in the theatres. . .I've got a plan to get in, but still. However, if I had the choice of seeing it PG-13, and not seeing it for a few months due to an R rating, I would still go with the R. Every part of it is important as well. . .the little things amount to alot. I heard the Wachowski Bros. really fought for the R Rating, and I'm personally glad.

ricwhite

Why did they fight for an "R"? I can only go my the original Matrix as a source, but what "R" rated material in the first movie is "so important"? I don't really understand what an R rated plan does that would be so much better than a PG-13 plan. Is some nudity and the "f" word that important to the movie's overall storyline???

caiman

F**k yes!

Corleone

More important than your 12 year old seeing the film.

Jackskeleton

Wait a second.. your 12 year old son is sad he can't see it? Does this mean that he has seen the first Matrix? If he has, then well that was rated R aswell. No nudity in the first one, just a lot of violence. Hey, I doubt there will be nudity in reloaded (well just some situation where love makin' is happening) but if your son has seen the first one then I don't see any reason why you should go see the second with him.

Why not shoot for a pg-13? they would have to do a lot that would go against there wishes if they did so. I'm glad they stuck to there guns. If this means your son will have to wait a couple of years, maybe it's for the best that he does so that he can better understand the film.

Lara Means

The Matrix is rated R for violence. NOT Nudity and curse words. Im glad the rest of the trilogy is rated R. The Brothers dont give a damn about money. Their original vision is R rated

neiname

Hey, if you feel comfortable that your son is mature enough to handle the violence presented in the film then you are more than welcome to bring him to an R rated movie. Remember these ratings are guidelines and what is appropriate for one person may be inappropriate for another.

Has your son seen the first Matrix? If so I don't see why you wouldn't let him see this, with you accompaning him of course.

Rypro 525

Rated R for sci fi violence and some sexuallity. (entertainment tonight called it "the love scene of the summer") Whether you see t&a depends. Don't shield him from this.

TCG

It's the way real f-cking people talk and look.

It's a big deal to me. People dont say friggin'. They dont say shoot, or darn.

And when people have sex, they're naked! (Usually)

hmurchison

Glad they went Rated R. I don't wanna see another Sellout for $$$$ like Terminator 2(which I liked but it was neutered).

Souljahh

Wasn't T2 Rated R? Or are you saying something else?

hmurchison

T2 is in fact Rated R. I'm a blithering idiot. I thought it was purposely made pg-13 to increase sales. I'll shutup now.

shimmoril

A quote from Joel Silver that I read somewhere (TIME I think) said that "as soon as you get kung fu kicks to the head, you have an R rating"

sho kosugi

Why don't you see it first, make the call and if you feel it's OK, then take your son with you. That's what an R is after all, it's not NC-17.

Michael T Hudson

I could care less if it's R or not, but to say the people making don't care about money is a bunch of crap.

RoboDad

It all depends on your circle of acquaintances. I don't use curse words, because I find that I am generally capable of expressing myself adequately without them. I also make it a point to ask those who associate with me on any kind of regular basis to do me the courtesy of curbing their tongues while we are together. I have yet to encounter someone who has refused that request (not that they are always successful, but at least they try).

As far as sex goes, it is true, most people are naked during sex. However, they are not usually naked in front of their entire neighborhood, or transmitting their encounter to every television screen in their community.

But, back on topic, the first movie was rated 'R' for "stylized sci-fi violence". The main real reasons for the rating were the number of kung/wire-fu-style fight sequences (which could, if imitated, cause someone some serious injury), and the fact that they used (shudder) guns . The language was definitely "PG-rated", and the only "nudity" was shot in such a way as to obscure any objectionable body parts.

I doubt that the new movie will be much different in that regard, but we'll see in a day or so.

chanster

T2 was in fact toned down from the first film. It was still rated R. I argued in another thread, the movie really wasn't an R movie - the only thing that got it in trouble was the various impalements by the T-1000, especially Aunt Janelle and the Uncle.

It is also funny to note that on the special edition of T2, that impalement scene was toned down. Weird.

Jeremy517

There is a sex scene, but no, they don't show Trinity naked. The whole scene isn't really there for any kind of purpose other than to make sure that you know they're in love, I guess. That being said, it would still be rated R due to violence, I'm pretty sure.

ricwhite

In my opinion, the first Matrix was such a "mild" R rating that it could have VERY easily been made PG-13 with just MINOR adjustments. Since PG-13 usually generates much more money, it was curious to me why they just didn't go with the PG-13.

It is also curious to me why many of the "spin-offs" to the Matrix movies (i.e. the video games and toys, posters, etc) are marketed to the pre-teen / teenage markets while the movies are rated for adult audiences. Why market the toys and games of an "R" rated movie to preteens??? Doesn't make any sense. At the least, it's very inconsistent. All it does it fuel the desire of pre-teens to see the movies, which they are mostly prohibited to see.

In my opinion, it would have been a much more financially successful series of movies and would have drawn a far more diverse audience if it were rated PG-13. In 2002, the top 14 money making movies were all PG-13 or under.

ricwhite

Just got back from X2 and, believe me, it was far more violent than the Matrix. Scene for scene, I believe the Matrix to be rather mild for violence than, say, X2 or XXX or even Die Another Day or other PG-13 movies. Rather odd to me. The only big difference was that the Matrix had "themes" and adult level logic that is needed to understand the plot.

adamblast

The notion that all blockbuster films should be rated PG to rake in maximum dough is hurting an already lame-brained and unimaginative industry.

The notion that Hollywood shouldn't disappoint any 12-year-olds by making any "cool" R rated movies is even sillier. There will always be something your 12-year-old wants that he's too young for. Making every blockbuster movie "family friendly" is only going to make them even worse.

RoboDad

Almost as silly as the notion that a movie needs an R rating to be "cool", or the notion that the only reason for not going for an R rating is to make movies palatable for 12-year-olds.

I won't dispute that some movies, such as The Matrix series, would lose some "punch" (pun intended) as a PG-13, but I also believe that the overwhelming majority of R movies are only R because (unnecessary) content is deliberately added to make them so.

ricwhite

No. What is silly is when the Wachowski Bros. really fought for the R Rating. Now that is silly. Some filmmakers purposely throw in a little more violence or some "f" words or a sex scene that has NOTHING to do with movie just so it would get an "R" rating. Why?

From my understanding, the Wachowski Bros. has to petition the board for the "R" rating. Maybe they had to embellish some of the content to make it edgy enough for the rating. Why do that?

The Matrix movie was so close to PG-13 that making it so would have been very painless. This is not only about my 12-year-old son, but is about the whole philosophy behind the ratings game.

But since the trilogy IS rated R, I'm still very curious as to why they are marketing the games, posters, and toys, to the pre-teen / teenage market. Nobody addressed that aspect yet. If the Wachowski Bros. were SO adamant that the movie be an "adult" rating of R, why did they relent and have the Matrix after market spin-offs be rated lower. Shouldn't the Matrix GAME be an "M" rating??? Why didn't they fight for that???? Double standard and inconsistent.

Yes, I do have a problem with an R rated movie having toys and games aimed at youngsters.

Michael T Hudson

I am watching the first one as we speak and cannot figure out why it is rated R.