I think people believe kids can't handle the violence, which in most cases isn't true. I know when I was a kid, I saw 15 and 18, it never shocked me. I wasn't running to mummy asking why the man isn't getting back up. The 12A rating won't let kids go in on their own, but will let adults take them. If the parent, who in all fairness should know there kid, thinks they'll be fine with it, then I think it was a good move to bring in 12A.

Spiderman is a great movie, in my own godlike opinion, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are move violent. The beginning of LOTR was more violent than some 15. Yet it was 'fantasy violence'. That doesn't make it any less violent. Kids were fine with that, they'll be fine with this too.

I've just seen the film this afternoon and have to admit, it was a bit violent in places and the part you mention with the pen made me wince. I don't think it should have been a 15 though as the violence was limited to short sections, there was hardly any swearing and no sex. I, personally, don't think that many younger kids would be interested in seeing the movie anyway, as there's nothing much in it that would interest them, and so an advisory rating is fine.

Mind you, we could end up with a situation like in the South Park movie where kids bribe an adult to get them in and start copying what they see. I'm sure many cinemas never asked for ID and just let many underage kids in to see old 12 rated films anyway though. I wouldn't have been bothered if there'd been kids in to see The Bourne Identity as they'd obviously be with an adult who'd decided that it was OK for them (rightly or wrongly). As long as they don't talk through it or leave their mobile on, they can do what they like

I saw The Bourne Identity last night at the local Showcase multiplex, and i have to say i agree with the 12A rating. There was some violence, but it was moderate and it was kept to small, fast sections of the film. Most of the time, you didn't really see what was happening (especially with the hand to hand bits) because it was done so fast.

I think 12A is an *excellent* step forward in british censorship. The decision of whether a child sees something should be made by the child's parents, not by some group of people who think they know what is best. I, similarly to Keiran, was seeing 15 and 18 films way before then, probably before i was even 12, and i haven't turned into a psychotic mad-dog killer. Nor have I or my brothers hurt each other trying to perform killer combat moves on each other.

Each child is different, and it's the parent's responsibility to deem whether their child is ready for a film, not the government's.

As you said Maff it is a good step forward for our films, but i think that perhaps they should have kept the 12 application and apply that to certain movies and the 12A for others.

I know from working in the cinema the amount of parents that blatenly lied to me that their 4 year old was 12, 'yes my boy is over getting popcorn' then he would walk away with a child that i couldn't see because he wasn't bigger than the counter!

**Bourne identity mild spoilers**


actually i think they should have kept the 12 rating AND additionally introduced 12A. I've seen the Bourne identity and i think a 12 rating would have been ok. 12A. No thank you. Imagine an 8 year old or even younger see that movie. in one scene there came a guy with a machine gun through a window. It made me jump...ok, i might be easy to scare, but if i'd seen the movie at a young age, it would have made me cry at several points.
In another scene Matt kills another killer, and to me it would have been shocking if a young child would see that guy suffer and dying.
The Penscene just aswell. Made me grab my hand in pain.

I think 12A is a good rating for Spiderman for example. younger kids can see it together with a arent, so they dont get too scared of the green goblin or other*fantasy* figures. It' s completely different to see some guy in a funny costume throw little red pumpkinbombs on people were you know thats not going to happen to you, than seing a guy with a machine gun bursting through a window for no real reason....

just my 2 cents

I remember having this conversation with Jackie and we agreed that the old 12 rating should have been kept aswell (I initially thought it had until I saw *all* the films had changed rating, not just Spiderman!).

I think it will lead to certain films that would have been given a 12 rating under the old rules now getting a 15 certificate, as the censors may feel that while the film might have been suitable for 12 years olds, it wouldn't be suitable for the 6,7,8... year olds who are now able to see it.