MovieChat Forums > Gunner Palace (2004) Discussion > R Rating

R Rating

posted 19 years ago by aperock
21 replies | jump to latest

There seems to be some controversy on the R rating of this film. To me it seems that the first 30 seconds of the movie justifies the R rating. This movie is great and should definitely been seen by all ages. But we have a rating system for a purpose. Movies have been slapped with a R rating for a lot less language. I personally don’t even consider a rating whether I see a movie, but other people follow the rating rule. I know that movies that get slapped with a R rating sometimes it doesn’t do as well in the box office. I imagine that the people who want to see this movie will see it regardless of the rating.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] aperock 19 years ago

Yes, I have seen the movie. There is definitly no visible gore in this movie.

The movie rating is based on the realistic language used in the film. Also the soundtrack is comprised of soldiers rapping about war life. The lyrics are very colorful.

[–] GranRoyal 19 years ago

where did u see the movie ? is it out like on DVD or VHS ? because from the promotion i saw its like a feature film for movie theater.....

realy wanna see that doc

thx

[–] pjp1527 19 years ago

The movie may have an R rating for the language, but there is not any visible violence or gore. There is some strong language, but it's the voice of the soldier's. The film getting an R rating can prevent some of the 14, 15, and 16 year old kids who may soon be recruited by the United States to serve over seas, because of a few "F-bombs." It should be treated as an educational film, because that is what it is.

I saw the film at the Toronto Film Festival, also my brother was an officer with the unit that the documentary was made about.

[–] Washingtonian 19 years ago

I saw this a few weeks ago in DC and the "R" rating is justified. I quit counting the f bombs after the 10th one was spoken.

There is no gore, but the language no doubt got this the R rating.

The movie itself seemed to be all over the place and it was a bunch of days tied together to leave the viewer to interpret it. No plot whatsoever.

[–] bgart5 19 years ago

The IMDB just had a Studio Briefing that had a news article about the studios reasoning behind the PG-13 rating (as opposed to the original R rating). And that reasoning is ridiculous. It says "any young person old enough to be recruited by the military should be able to see what life in the military is all about, the MPAA has decided to allow the documentary Gunner Palace to open with a PG-13 rating, instead of an R."

But 13-16 year olds are not old enough to be recruited by the military. 17 and 18 year olds are, and so the R rating should stay on. This is just a case of the studios seeing an oppurtunity to make a buck, at the expense of young kids being exposed to very intense, real (that's the key word here) situations that they shouldn't be exposed to.

[–] RLMacReady 19 years ago

I couldn't dissagree with you (bgart5) more! If this were a fictional account of war, then young kids should be shielded from the language and violence that it portrays, but this is a truthful and accuarte account of what 400 of our men and women are going through over there and everyone should be allowed to see a truthful and uncensored depiction of this war. All kids hear about it everyday from their parents, TV and anyone else who they happen to hear speaking their opinion about it, and they should have the opportunity to see the truth and not someones OPINION which is usually clouded by their own personal political views. Movies like Fahrenheit 9/11 are made for one purpose, and that was to try and prevent Bush from being re-elected. There were so many half truths and things taken out of context that it was ridiculous. This movie shows the events as they actually happened. I happen to know one of the families of one of the soldiers that is stationed in Gunner's Palace, and they said that they (the soldiers) were given the opportunity to see the finished film and it was 110% honest and accurate. Everyone should take advantage of this opportunity to see what it is really like over there. Whether they are for or against this war they should check it out.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] moviekid21 19 years ago

I just don't get it. Republicans think that a film with teen smoking should be 'R' rated or baned from films, yet a right wing propoganda film with "not a lot of language" should be made for all to see.
Come on conservatives, make up your mind!!

[–] MovieMan0283part2 19 years ago

Actually, from what I've heard, the politics of the filmmaker run far more to the left than the right. So don't jump to conclusions.

[–] emwriterdude 19 years ago

I just read that it was lowered down to a PG-13, but I don't know if they cut anything or what?

[–] mariceag 19 years ago

they didnt need to cut out anything! hooray! probably the first time in history this many *beep* and *beep* have been passed as a PG-13 after an appeal. i for one am happy. more people, especially young people considering the armed forces as an option have to see this movie.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] xNitro9985x 19 years ago

Anyone who doesn't think the average 13-16 year old, hanging out with their friends with no parental supervision, DOESN'T say the F-word at least 30 times in an hour and a half span has lost their sense of reality.

I'll never understand why the current trend is to shelter and overprotect kids from every little bad thing in the world. I see no reason why a teenager shouldn't be shown that the real world is not the sweet cookie-cutter suburban life, but rather is an amalgam of good and bad. People curse, people have sex, people get hurt, people die -- they're all part of life. In fact, most kids that age have a pretty good sense of those first three entities, so don't be so naive to think that they don't.

Why it's suddenly better to hide the world from kids and then throw them out into it with no background concept whatsoever is a mystery to me...

[–] Kueller 19 years ago

It really doens't matter who can go see it, because this movie is not going to be seen by many people anyway. It got in 8 theaters by Palm Pictures, who do not have the ability to make this a wide release. The problem that this causes is it creates a precendent that will be taken advantage of in the future. The exception in the rules that allowed this to be PG-13 has never been taken to this extreme, but becuase they have done it this time, expect it to happen much more often in the future just because it happened here.

[–] pokemon_rules777 19 years ago

I'm 9 and I own Saving Private Ryan (Yes I really Do) and i've seen much more in Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 and this won't hurt my mind when I rent it in Blockbuster.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] pcwilcox2595 19 years ago

Moviekid21, the reason you don't get it is because you assume. I saw the film in Chicago at a private screening and met the film maker. Go see the film.
It's well worth seeing and yes the language is what it is. But it's real.
So to counter moviekid, Open up your mind!
Signed, a father of a kid in the unit this film is about.

[–] gambilljen 19 years ago

It's PG-13 ,but it has 42 F words, 2 used sexually. WOW

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Dear_Oderus_Urungus 13 years ago

Stop right there! I'm a staunch democrat and I loved this movie. It's not a right-wing propoganda movie. It's the closest thing to the truth that's ever been portrayed on film. So watch the movie before you make assessments you *beep* retard.

To the world you may just be somebody, but to somebody you may just be the world.