Concern about the violence and in particular the glamorisation of knives in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider has resulted in cuts to the film. In order to achieve a ‘12’ rating the distributor has agreed to remove a number of elements which are unacceptable under the BBFC Guidelines for that category. The Guidelines in turn reflect the standards of acceptability set by the British public in the course of the major consultation exercise culminating in their publication in September 2000.
The film, which received a ‘PG-13’ rating in the United States, is the latest big Hollywood action film aimed at children but containing scenes which are too violent for younger viewers. Mission Impossible II and Charlie’s Angels were similar recent examples of ‘PG-13’ films appealing to the young whose violent content was, nevertheless, unacceptable in the UK at ‘12’. In their case, the distributors opted for the more restricted category of ‘15’ rather than the cuts necessary for ‘12’.
Robin Duval, Director of the BBFC said:
“The natural audience for Lara Croftis the 12 to 15 age group, but the Board’s Classification Guidelines make it clear that at ‘12’ the glamorisation of weapons such as knives and the graphic illustration of dangerous techniques such as head-butts and throat chops are unacceptable. The film company has responded positively to the BBFC’s concerns with cuts to those elements and to other violent content at several points in the film.
“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider remains an exciting action-filled experience whose content should not now surprise audiences familiar with ‘12’ rated material from the Bond films onwards. As with the Bond films, the combat, gunplay etc is mitigated by the absence of graphic or bloody detail and by the generally fantastical setting of the story. The Board’s concern about knives, however, reflects the fact that they are much more readily accessible in the UK than the other more unfamiliar equipment characteristic of these films.”
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