The Dark Knight and the Mystery of the PG-13 Rating...

This has been bugging me for a long time.  But before I really get into this let me preface by saying that I believe the MPAA is a bullshit organization that has no business deciding what is or is not suitable for audiences of different ages.  Ratings are essentially meaningless because there is so much contradictory info out there about what exactly earns a film a PG rating or and R.  And in a time where we now have to worn parents that a PG-13 film may contain alcohol consumption or cigarette smoking, it's obvious things are getting ridiculous.  Can consumption of alcohol really push a film up to a higher rating... possibly an R?  According to the MPAA the answer is most definitely yes.  I could could create a whole list of films that got R ratings because they were supposedly "unsuitable for minors" that were quite tame when compared to some of the action and horror films that get passed off for a PG-13.  Recent examples: The Fountain, Almost Famous, There Will Be Blood (granted there is violence, but much of it happens off screen and there is almost no cussing or sex or nudity) among many many others.  Now I'm not saying those films weren't intense or didn't have a few crude moments, but they were far and away more wholesome than a lot of crap that gets passed off as "suitable" entertainment for minors especially during the summer.

So in light of the MPAA apparently being there to shield our poor young children away from "inappropriate material", I bring the following question to the floor - How in the holy hell did the Dark Knight manage a PG-13 rating?  The Dark Knight is probably one of the most intense, violent and sadistic films that I have seen in quite a while.  I'll be fair here, yes there is no blood and there is little in the way of sex (though there is a scene that makes it quite awkwardly clear sex has just taken place), and there isn't much language besides a couple shits, damns and aw shucks.  But the film is one of the most violent pieces of pop entertainment I have ever seen.  Some of this violence happens directly on the screen and some of it off, but it's all there.  And to be honest our imagination is a much more horrible thing, so the violence that does take place off screen during the Dark Knight is often times far more disturbing.  Let's take a look at what we are dealing with here.  This is a quick list of the reasons why it baffles me that the film ever managed a PG-13

1. The opening Bank Heist - several men are shot point blank with little or no consequence, hostages are given grenades to hold and the bank manager has a grenade placed in his mouth.

2. The "magic trick" which involves a pencil getting slammed through a man's head... onscreen.

3. The video the joker makes before he butchers and kills his victim who dresses up like the batman.

4. Harvey Dent threatening to blow a man's head off if he doesn't give him info on the joker.

5. Batman beating the shit out of several criminals over and over again throughout the film.

6. The major action set piece involving several car crashes, civilians shot and possibly killed.

7. The interrogation scene between Batman and the Joker where Batman beats the Joker senseless.

8. The Joker's breakout which involves a bomb planted in another man's stomach which is depicted onscreen.

9. Rachel getting blown sky high.

10. Harvey Dent having half of his body burned, which also occurs on screen.

11. Harvey's face...

12.  The Joker burning a man alive on top of a pile of money (off screen).

13.  The Joker apparantely feeding a mob boss to his own dogs (off screen).

14. Dent's killing spree.

15.  The Joker's final act.

16.  Harvey Dent's downfall is disturbing and his last scene is especially so.

17. and last but not least, the Joker himself is probably one of the most terrifying and sickening things I have ever seen put on screen.

After the film was over I was completely shocked by the level of violence.  Yes, it was entirely appropriate for the film and I'm not criticizing the film for it.  I'm criticizing that oh so great organization known as the MPAA.  If no other film in recent history has proven how full of shit they really are then this film is surly it.  The only possible excuse for this film getting the PG-13 is the fact that it is a "comic book movie", or at least that's how it was perceived prior to its release.  Now people have wised up and figured out that it transcends its genre and becomes something quite special.  But the MPAA gave this film a pass because Batman was in it and who doesn't like batman? He's good old fashioned wholesome family fun.  Well I hate to tell you MPAA, but this is not the 1960's TV show or the crap fast directed by Joel Schumacker.  No, this is an entirely different beast and its is quite grown up and sophisticated... AND VIOLENT.  Look, I hate the rating system and I think its complete bullshit.  Parents should take responsibility for what their children see or don't see and not depend on some mysterious organization to make their choices for them.  If anything the MPAA should abolish the ratings system and simply list off what kind of content the film contains... even if we feel we must include alcohol and cigarettes...jesus.  But since we are stuck with this corrupt and faulty system can we at least call out an R rating when we really see one?  Probably not.  

Again this was not a criticism against the Dark Knight.  It's violence is fully justified and young audiences above the age of 12 or so can probably handle it depending on what kind of film goer they are.  But the thought of six year old kids in their watching this film kind of disturbs me and trust me I have seen plenty of them there the two times I saw The Dark Knight.  Again parents need to learn how to take responsibility.  Below I'm including a review of the film by the Reel Geezers which is hilarious for the fact that they clearly didn't understand the picture at all... yet do feel the need to preface their rotten review with proclamation that Heath Ledger gives a performance "for the ages!".  Really?  No shit? I hadn't heard that yet. Thanks for keeping up.