The Dark Knight - Take the kids or not????

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

G'day guys. This movie sounds too cool already and I can't wait to see it. . .thinking about tomorrow . . . but my 8 year old boy. . . should I take him? I took him to see the first Batman Begins. All the Spiderman movies - and all the Harry Potters. A bit freaked by them at the time, but never had any nightmares or ongoing problems, and he doesn't regret seeing any of those. . . . .BUT. . . is this Movie on the same level as those. . . or is this one a bit too grusome/overly violent for an 8 year old????

Would appreciate your thoughts if you have seen it already!

[Bizarro Amy]

No. Do not take him to see it, at least until you've watched on your own.

[spiderrogue]

no..for now...my 12 yr old would be ok, im sure..but iffy for my 9 and 5 yr old.....based on what i have seen on tv and heard...

[namtab29]

that's a big NO. not only is the movie 2 and 1/2 hrs long, the Joker sequences are horrifying. they are superb, but horrifying.

and the Two-Face make-up alone is like something from a horror movie. i don't even think they made an action figure for the character...

rob!

[HardyGirl]

Yesterday when I had a 5 yr old girl w/ me to see Meet Dave, they showed the previews. She kept covering her eyes during the Joker scenes. Heath Ledger (RIP) really looks horrifyingly freaky! And that voice! *shudder* I wouldn't take a child to see that.

[txteach]

WAY too violent. I'd say over 13 it's ok.

[Hector]

Take them!

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

Thanks guys & Gal. . . the boy misses out then. . . .Guess it will be when the kids are at school next week for me then.

[megowgsh]

I took all three of my boys, ages 13, 10 adn 7, but then again, my boys made this video

YouTube - WPF Preview

LOL

[Earth 2 Chris]

I'd say no. But see it for yourself first and decide. My son is 6, and he is already somewhat freaked out by the Joker. I knew THIS Joker would give him nightmares for a month. And it's not so much the visuals, but what the Joker does. He literally terrorizes and terrifies for the sake of it. It's very unsettling. And as Rob said, Two-Face is truly horrifying. All these are great things for us adults, but it just doesn't translate to kids. Plus the plot and moral themes would totally go over most kids heads.

I'd say I wouldn't try and take a kid over 8-9 or so unless they were really mature about seperating fact from fiction, but kids vary. No way I'd take a kid under 6 though.

Chris

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

My son carried his copy of Empire around the UK with him, on several flights and it hasn't been far from him since we got back. It is the version with the Joker on the front.

He has been memorising all the actors in all the different roles from all of the movies, back to the 66 version. There is a double page spread where this is tabulated with pics of the actors, in that edition of Empire.

I think he would cope. . .Spiderman 3 was touch and go. . .he started to freak in that. . .but then he was a year younger too.

I saw that 5th Harry Potter first, thinking it would be too much, but decided it wasn't too bad after seeing it, and took him no problem. BUT. . . 2 face sounds really interesting and terrifying from what everyone is saying.

So. . .I'll see it myself first, leaning towards him not seeing it. Then see what I think. Thanks for your input guys. . .really appreciate it.

[The Toyroom]

My girls (9 and 12) are terrified of Ledger's Joker but are begging to go....I don't have any problems with taking them. They know it's just a movie and the good guy will win out in the end (even if he IS psychological scarred from the experience )

[namtab29]

>>They know it's just a movie and the good guy will win out in the end <<

um, i wouldn't be too sure on that.

rob!

[noelani72]

Ohhh c'mon folks...yeah the show as some intense scenes, but we've seen worse on regular tv. Soooo many kids are de-sensitized to most of this stuff anyways. It is up to the the parent's to decide what your child can/cannot see because you know them best and only you know what scares your kid and only you know if there's room in the bed with you and the Mrs..
LOL

Hell, my wife is afraid of clowns...but I made her go anyways. Did she cover her eyes in parts..yeah.

So in the words of the Joker, "Why sooo serious?"

[Bizarro Amy]

It's not just the violence. I've seen some kids handle that quite well. But "Dark Knight" is very grim, not adventurous. Plus like Chris said, some of the plot twists and themes will go right over their heads. If you see it and deem your kids mature enough, that's one thing. But do your job as a parent watch it without them first.