Why the heck was the Matrix rated R?

I've wondered about this for a while. There's no severe language, the violence only goes as far as kicking and punching, and there's one mild reference to sex in one scene. I've seen much worse in PG-13 rated films. The only reason I can think of is the scene where Neo awakens from his birthing chamber, as it is pretty visually disturbing, but even then, is it enough to constitute an R rating?

Slimy!

 

Uhh...lobby scene.

 

violence, violence, violence, language, obscene gestures.

 

The language pushes the limits of a PG-13 film for starters. (The "F" word can only be used once (though sometimes people get away with it twice) in PG-13 films.) I'll admit that it's not used often in The Matrix, but some of the other themes contribute.

Also, the violence is realistic and involves blood, which the MPAA frowns upon in most PG-13 films.

And, as mentioned before, the lobby scene's realistic nature pretty much guaranteed it that R rating.

 

There's no severe language, the violence only goes as far as kicking and punching, and there's one mild reference to sex in one scene.

Severe Language: Check. Even if it wasn't as much, there were probably just enough f- and s-words to constitute an R.
Violence: Okay, fair point. However, they may have figured some kids would find the agents going in and out of people disturbing to watch.
Sex: Fair point.

That, and the MPAA isn't entirely consistent... they are human.
_jOBO

 

Lots and lots and lots of people get shot.

By the good guys.

Including police.

 

Uhh...lobby scene.

there was no blood!

Hahahha the Matrix only JUST got higher than a PG rating here. Got an M-15 recommended (which meant anyone can still go see it) for low level violence and low level language

And, as mentioned before, the lobby scene's realistic nature pretty much guaranteed it that R rating.

Realistic? Aahaahahahahahahahaha

 

PG-14 here in the north .

 

Well, yes people get shot, but still, taht's as far as the violence goes. What, like you haven't seen people get shot in PG-13 rated films.

The "F" word can only be used once (though sometimes people get away with it twice) in PG-13 films.)

Well, i've known about the one-F-word rule for a long time, but I don't seem to remember there being any F-words in The Matrix. And also, what PG-13 rated film ever got away with using two F-words. That's the only reason T3 was rated PG-13, because John Connor says two F-words back-to-back in the same senetence, and that's it. Everything else in that film was PG-13 quality.

Slimy!

 

No one under 17 should be able to see Keanu Reeves
"Act" without their parents in attendence.

 

The problem is, Slimy, you're taking each factor individually.

"They swear less than in other movies."
"There is less violence than in other movies."
"There is less sex than in other movies."

However, not a lot of movies combine all three and get a PG-13.
_jOBO

 

There is NO sex.

Slimy!

 

However, not a lot of movies combine all three and get a PG-13.

I tell ya what! The US ratings system is bollocks!

 

what PG-13 rated film ever got away with using two F-words.

The Perfect Storm, for one. George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg both say it.

And though I'm not positive on this one, I'm pretty sure it's used twice in Entrapment, though I could be mistaken.

 

Why the heck was the Matrix rated R?

Tipper Gore did it.

 

Because even too much of a good thing can be bad.

I'm totally buying the 10 disc DVD set coming out in December. Screw the rating, the people at the ticket boxes never check for ID. I was able to see all of them by myself before I was 17. (The Imax viewings were spectacular)

 

It was an M here!

 

Any movie where someone gets kicked in the face by someone using Kung-Fu autmatically goes to R.

 

Red Dawn was a far more violent film than all three Matrix movies put together and it got a PG-13 rating. The main reason is the Motion Picture Ratings people are far more conservative and politicaly correct than they were 20 years ago.

 

the R was for RIDICULOUS, RETARDED, REBUNDANT AND RAUNCHY.

LIKE THE MOVIE.

 

Here it was a 15.
But Entrapment got a PG, so I doubt they could have said **** twice.

 

I find statements like "people get shot, but that's it as far as violence goes" to be very, very frightening all by themselves.

*hides under the bed*

EDIT: Don't forget the helicopter crashing into a building, people playing chicken on the subway tracks, and a man being encouraged to jump across a massive chasm between two office blocks because the fall is just an illusion.

 

Red Dawn was a far more violent film than all three Matrix movies put together and it got a PG-13 rating. The main reason is the Motion Picture Ratings people are far more conservative and politicaly correct than they were 20 years ago.

Hell, the Indiana Jones movies were far more violent than The Matrix.

[image=http://www.theindyexperience.com/image/caption_may2_03.gif] [image=http://img.pathfinder.gr/movies/cinemascope/big/33_1i1387.jpg]
^One of the greatest scenes in cinematic history.


[image=http://www.indianajones.com/museum/exhibit/scrapbook/img/ij2_ia_144_bg.jpg]
Nothing worse than a bad case of heartburn...

 

Did the Temple of Doom not instigate the PG13 rating due to the contraversy over giving it a PG one? Or am I thinking of something else?

Either way, it's a fair point. They went through a period of getting away with so much more in films. It's funny how Hollywood went from fining people for use of the word "damn" in Gone With The Wind to having children's films (or at least ones deemed suitable for them to see) that would scare the hell out of most adults to having anything goes except blood and headbutting. Weird.

 

In the UK it was BATMAN that got us the 12 rating they believed it was too violent for PG yet kids wanted to see it so the BCFC relented and created the 12 cert

though on Video it was still a 15 cert it wasnt until very recently they actually gave video`s 12`s