Spider-man is possibly the most violent film which is aimed at a young audience that the BBFC has classified. The levels of violence make the film a borderline '15' rating and most certainly not suitable for a 'PG' rating which would allow very young children to view the film. The violence is set in a modern urban setting with a clear message that the use of violence is the normal and appropriate response when challenged. The Board does not believe that this is the sort of message to be sending to young children. The BBFC carried out an extensive consultation exercise with the public and the very clear message from parents in particular was that they were very concerned about the levels of violence in films aimed at young children. The Guidelines which were used to classify Spider-man were based on the outcomes of that research.
Hollywood has carried out an aggressive world-wide marketing campaign aimed at young children when the film is not suitable for them. The film has been given a similar rating to the BBFC's '12' in the US and Europe. The difference is that in the US the PG13 rating does not prevent children under 13 from seeing the film. The '12' rating in the UK does. This is what has created the situation where local councils are coming under pressure from cinemas and parents to change the rating for the film. There are 468 local authorities in the UK and to date, according to the media, only a couple have changed the rating, which they are legally entitled to do under the 1985 Cinemas Act.
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