Did you let your young child see Revenge of the Sith?

Yes, but I watched it first. I let him watch the LOTR trilogy so I had no problem with him watching Revenge of the Sith.

 

Ah, good old Jurassic Park. I was barely out of huggies before I saw the film for the first time (It was the home release). While it scared the crap out of me as a nipper it was that thrill that bought me back time and time again, the same way that I would now watch an 18+ rating (I think it's an R rating in America) horror film even if it scares me. It's a known fact that lots of kids actually enjoy being scared.

Earlier Disney films are famous for terrifying children, a good example is when the Wicked Queen in Snow White turns herself into the old crone with the potion. That was down right horrific, I loved the film as a kid but would always shut my eyes at this scene because it terrified me. And as a Doctor Who fan living in Britain I can't stress how many times I've been told stories about how people used to cower in terror behind the sofa because of the likes of the Cybermen and the Daleks absolutely terrifying them. But they don't talk about these things bitterly, they fondly remember them.

Keeping this in mind I think it's perfectly reasonable to let a child watch Revenge of the Sith. I certainly wouldn't let a toddler watch the PT as a whole however a 7-8 year old would watch it quite happily I think. Especially if their parent is there to comfort them if it does prove a bit too much for them. If there is one thing I have learned while working with kids is that they are very vocal about what they dislike and they will tell you if they think it's too much.

 

I first saw all three OT movies when I was three, and had no problem sitting through them nor was I ever scared.. according to my mom and dad that is. I saw the re release in 97 when I was five.
The SW movies never bothered me, although I was 13 or 14 when ROTS came to theaters. At first my mom did not want me to watch it because it was pg 13, but i told her, that i was NOT missing out on star wars. I had already seen TPM and AOTC in theaters, she finally said okay.

ROTS was actually the FIRST pg13 movie i ever saw, my parents were always very strict on that. I think ROTS is what finally got me to watching pg13 movies. im 18 now and Im still not allowed to watch R movies.

However, when i was probably 7 my dad made me watch indiana jones with him. all three of the movies gave me nightmares. Especially temple of doom. I couldn't finish that one when i was younger. Of course, now that I'm older, i absolutely LOVE indy, they are my favorite movies right after star wars. i went and saw the crystal skull 7 times at the movies. hahah

 

How about The Brave Little Toaster? I saw that a month ago for the first time since I was real young and I understand why I was scared. As for Revenge of the Sith...hmmm...I could see some things like the Mustafar scene being a little frightening.

 

Actually, I'm pretty sure Spielberg suggested the PG-13 rating because of that movie. He talked about covering a 10-year-old's eyes during the heart-ripping scene.

 

Despite the number of people on here who have expressed no problems with their kids watching ROTS under 13, I have to disagree. I firmly believe that ROTS is not only the darkest Star Wars film ever made, but also one of the darkest movies ever made, period.

Sound silly? Just think about it properly. First, the film is an emotional roller-coaster(provided you identify with the main characters)that ends in a state of deep depression, despair, and outright misery. That alone could be emotionally damaging in the wrong circumstances. Second, it's ridiculously violent by Star Wars standards - Mace Windu's death, anyone? That was outright sadistic and almost gratuitous in a way. Anakin's immolation, the younglings' extermination, all of the numerous arms and legs and heads and hands and feet that are forcibly de-attached from their owners' bodies during the course of the film, and a pregnant woman being strangled.

Finally, add to all of that the film's unrelentingly grim tone, not to mention dark cinematography(a load of the film feels almost like Neo-Noir to me, especially the opera scene and the Anakin turns to the Dark Side scene with their contrasting colours and deep shadows) that in its latter half is so dark as to completely lack any humour, save for the ironic statement made by Threepio(well, he is under a lot of stress, Artoo). Yeah, so stressed that he betrayed all of his friends and helped a psychopathic, lying, malevolent madman kill all of them and shortly afterwards become a total dictator. That's so unlike Star Wars as even TESB had genuine humour in its latter half, also from our aforementioned favourite two droids. Almost everything threepio said was a one-liner during the whole chase through Bespin scene, despite all of the drama around, and it worked. ROTS has nothing like this. Considering this all, I would say a young child, even if somehow not traumatised by the film's visceral horrors, would be even more upset by the way everything happens and ends. In particularly weak or emotionally insecure kids it might even induce suicide, especially those of around 10-12.

If I sound like an absolute prude here, please forgive me as I assure you all that I am absolutely not. Far from it. I love dark and violent films. But I genuinely believe ROTS is that dark, and yes, by that I mean it is really one of the darkest films of its kind ever, far darker than Batman Begins or The Dark Knight, or even than Burton's two Batman films from 89 and 92, to use a comparison. I would go as far as saying that despite the far greater levels of violence a film such as Predator would actually be less harmful to young children. The same could even be said for Alien despite its status as a horror film. Why? Because neither of those films have that sense of horrible, nihilistic despair and utterly black negativity that ROTS has, the kind of stuff you'd more expect to see in a film like Angela's Ashes than Star Wars.

Also, and this will make me sound like an utter wimp, but I first saw the film when I was 16 and it scarred me for life. Well, maybe not scarred... But nevertheless, I actually cringed during the immolation scene and could barely look at the screen. I'm not even sure why, but I think it was the whole experience of seeing Star Wars turn THIS dark. I never had the pleasure of seeing the OT in the cinema but I did see TPM and AOTC, neither of which remotely disturbed me. ROTS really is that much darker. From the moment Mace Windu screamed in agony as his hand flew out the window I knew something was wrong. It just didn't feel like Star Wars. During the subsequent scene I was actually feeling physically sick at the time, and I think that was from the sheer shock of Star Wars showing such cruel and sadistic violence. It was unexpected, and that was the real issue.

So maybe it was just that, and indeed, on DVD the film is a lot less disturbing. On the other hand, if you want to get the full effect then get a top quality stereo system and a huge widescreen TV, turn out all of the lights and wa

 

Yeah, you make a good point. In Alien the threat is a literal monster. In ROTS a human hero turns evil and takes down little Jedi trainees. To those who look past the immediate portrayal of the violence, it's understandable for the latter example to be seen as the more chilling of the two given that the former is easily rationalized by assuring the concerned viewer that xenomorphs do not exist. Are most young children going to look past the surface and make this connection, though? I don't know.

Overall, I think it's up for the parent to know what their kid can handle. My five year old cousin had no problem with ROTS. The only thing his mother objected to in hindsight was the crispy Anakin scene - she wasn't expecting that in a Star Wars film.

As for myself when I was a kid, I think I could've handled Sith without any problems. Then again, I was a bit goofy in that way given that I could watch Aliens without any repercussion, while Close Encounters gave me nightmares for months. The typical gray aliens scared me senseless even though they were friendly.

 

When's the last time you saw Predator? Do you remember the man's spine being ripped out of his body? The cursing? Carl Weathers' arm being blown off? A pretty gory film all in all. While I wouldn't go that far, I have to admit that you swayed me. I watched RotS today and with it being fresh in my mind I am coming around. I love the movie, don't get me wrong, but on second thought maybe they should wait.

 

No Bloody way it'd give her nightmares for a month!!!!

 

Revenge of the Sith was the first SW movie I saw in theaters and I have never seen a movie in theaters where the audience was so reactive to the film. They applauded, laughed, it was great. And yes, there were a lot of kids, including myself and everyone seemed to love it, children and adults alike.

 

Sorry I just couldn't resist!

I think you need to either get out more, see more movies, or talk to some thirteen year olds. ROTS is not much darker than a lot of "dark" PG-13 movies, and its not even half as un-kid-friendly as something like Dark Knight. It's pretty much your standard, in fact I would say that the sometimes-cheesy acting, quick development through scenes, and semit-cartoonish CG elements go a long way to making it less real and more kid-friendly (I mean--CG yoda cutting off CG helmets of CG-clonetroopers is far less shocking than anything I can see in a typical video game). The only thing really noteworthy it has going for it is Anakin on fire, but you can see stuff just as shocking in other PG-13 films like The Aviator.

As for it being the darkest film of all time and potentially driving 12 year olds to suicide--well, I'll just say I find that a very strange statement and leave it that. I don't think anyone takes any movie involving CG frogs and Hayden Christensen that seriously. Case in point, when Yoda and Obi Wan discovered the dead kids, people were laughing in the theatre I went to because using the term "youngling" in what is otherwise a very serious situation seemed funny. The film isn't as dark as you think.

 

I said it before on this topic, the political story is by far the most disturbing part of the movie, especially to adult audiences.

I also would like to point out that the severed heads and limbs are pretty unremarkable compared to some of the faces Palpatine makes. If I was a five year old, some of those evil faces would end up in a nightmare no doubt.

 

Not likely. But I heard The Phantom Menace induced particularly weak and emotionally insecure nerds to suicide. Especially those around 30-45.

Don't you wonder why AOTC made less money?

 

^

 

ROFL

 

LOL

I guess this also explains why 2008's The Clone Wars tanked! Poor victims of ROTS...

 

Did they all have goatees and glasses, and rant incoherently about "the magic of my childhood"?

 

ROTS will leave your children scarred and deformed.

 

Ah yes, magical childhood despoiled!

And instead of blaming their Uncle Lesters, they blamed Uncle George.

 

i would definitley let any child of any age see any movie, especially star wars.. thats me tho

 

This may seem a bit green, but what is IIRC?

I have no children but if I did i'd let them see it at around 7 onwards, before 7 it's a bot pointless anyway as they can't understand the story, which is a must for SW.

Personally I went with my dad to see it, but I was 12 then so it didn't really matter as I could've gone and seen it myself if I wished.

 

if I recall/remember correctly