The Rise of Skywalkerhits theaters this weekend. Ever since the series debuted in 1977 with George Lucas' original sci-fi classic, the movies have captivated fans of all ages. I come from a family of Star Wars fans. My mom has always talked fondly of seeing Star Wars in theaters more than a dozen times. She took me to see the 1997 re-releases, as well as the prequels. We waited at a theater for hours to seeThe Force Awakensopening night with my little brother. I’m certainly not alone in having this franchise become a family affair. With that, there are probably quite a few parents wondering if Episode IX is appropriate for their younglings. So, is Star Wars 9 safe for kids?
Starting with the basics of answering that,The Rise of Skywalkeris rated PG-13 in the U.S. This, very basically, means anyone under the age of 13 needs to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The U.K. handed out a similar rating of 12A, which means thatanyone under the age of 12 needs an adultwith them. So that’s a rough guideline that can help parents make a determination. Beyond that, it’s a little more subjective.
Like most Star Wars movies, generally speaking, this is an action/adventure flick in space. There are some intense sequences. There are explosions. There are fights. People die in these fights. For the most part, these fights aren’t overly violent and any on-screenStar Wars deathisn’t too over-the-top. The movie largely avoids any overly strong, obscene language. However, some moments are a bit more violent than usual. Without getting into spoilers, this is something to be aware of. Any parents who feel any graphic violence should be avoided may want to keep that in mind. Also, any kids who are particularly sensitive to such imagery may have a reaction to a couple of scenes.
For the sake of general comparison, this is certainly no worse thanRevenge of the Sith. That movie features the famousAnakin getting burned to a crispby lava sequence, as well as Anakin murdering a group of young Jedi trainees. Safe to say,The Rise of Skywalkerdoesn’t go any further than that, so that can help provide a general basis of comparison. The British Board of Film Classification does specifically warn of “fights with fantastical weapons, including impalement.”
Speaking a bit more from personal experience, a father I sat next to at myStar Wars premiere night screeningbrought his two young daughters who couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 years old. They seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Though, there was a small jump scare that got the girl sitting next to me which, in the end, was harmless but, again, something to be aware of. Hopefully this has been helpful. Maybe the Force be with you.Disney and Lucasfilmare showingStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerin theaters now.
