# Why is The Matrix rated R? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935 "2003-05-03T23:55:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/81 "2011-07-05T21:28:19Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > You could ask the same question about John Carpenter’s version of **The Thing**. And, in fact, I have. There’s plenty of blood and gore,. but it’s almost entirely fake blood and gore of a wholly imaginary creature. It freaked the people at CBS out so much that, when they first showed it on that network, they cut out almost every single image of The Thing (thereby proving that Not Showing The Creature does not, despite what many people claim, make the film better) :eek: For real? The Thing is the goriest and most violent movie I have ever seen. How can it not be an R? Hell, if the MPAA was doing their job, it would have been an X. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/82 "2011-07-05T21:34:51Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > :eek: For real? > > The Thing is the goriest and most violent movie I have ever seen. How can it not be an R? It was rated R. **CalMeacham** is arguing that the argument used to question the R rating for _The Matrix_ could be used to question _The Thing_’s R rating. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/83 "2011-07-05T21:45:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > It was rated R. **CalMeacham** is arguing that the argument used to question the R rating for _The Matrix_ could be used to question _The Thing_’s R rating. That was my point. I honestly don’t understand the question. The Thing couldn’t have been rated anything but an R (there was no PG-13 when it was released, but even still, it’s gory beyond belief). The real question should be “Why wasn’t The Thing rated X?” because it’s that fucking gross and violent. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/84 "2011-07-05T21:55:28Z")
> [@Mikahw](#): > > The Columbine shooting took place on April 20th. The Matrix was released on March 31st. I’m pretty sure that it wasn’t a factor in the rating, but it did cause a rumor that The Matrix wasn’t going to come out on VHS (of course, it did). Two words: Blu-ray ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/85 "2011-07-05T22:34:54Z")
> [@Achernar](#): > > I’m not so sure about that. While it’s true the G category is dominated by children’s films, I don’t think there’s anything at all keeping films with a more grown-up target audience out of this category. I guess it depends on what you have in mind. I don’t really consider _Chicken Run_ to be a children’s flim, though I can certainly see an argument to the contrary. It looks like documentaries also wind up in this category. If you look back to the 1970s, you see films like _Airport_ and _2001: A Space Odyssey_. But I think the fact that you don’t see drama or sci-fi in G anymore is probably due more to filmmakers than the MPAA. > > Can you give an example of a PG movie that has little enough sex, violence, profanity, and scary images that you think it should be in G? Since discussion is continuing in this zombie thread I wanted to address this question, although I see **Achernar** hasn’t been active for years. While the G rating is not strictly limited to movies aimed at children, I think it is so strongly perceived that way by the American public that filmmakers would want to avoid this rating if their movies are geared at grown-ups. This may be even more true now than it was in the past, as many recent Disney/Pixar films for family audiences (_Lilo & Stitch_, _Up_, _Tangled_, etc.) have been rated PG. I have heard that the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen’s _Emma_ actually had a fleeting “damn” dubbed into the scene when Harriet Smith is menaced by vagabonds in order to avoid the dreaded G rating. There is no other profanity in the movie, no nudity, no sex, and no violence aside from the brief scene where Harriet is grabbed/shoved. But young children would probably be bored stiff by this movie, even if there is nothing their parents are likely to find objectionable. I haven’t seen the 2005 adaptation of _Pride & Prejudice_, but it was also rated PG for “mild thematic elements”. It would be easy to make a G rated adaptation of this novel, so I can only assume that the filmmakers thought a PG rated movie would do better and threw in some non-G content. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/86 "2011-07-05T22:37:26Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > The Thing is the goriest and most violent movie I have ever seen. How can it not be an R? Hell, if the MPAA was doing their job, it would have been an X. For real? What other gory, violent movies have you seen that you thought were less so than _The Thing?_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/87 "2011-07-05T22:46:49Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > That was my point. I honestly don’t understand the question. The Thing couldn’t have been rated anything but an R (there was no PG-13 when it was released, but even still, it’s gory beyond belief). The real question should be “Why wasn’t The Thing rated X?” because it’s that fucking gross and violent. Take a look at the movie again – all that gore and blood\* was _made-up gore from a made-up creature_. That wasn’t even harmed by losing the blood, I might add. When it’s totally imaginary blood from something that doesn’t even resemble a reakl creature, why would it be rated R for gore? That’s my question. You ask; _How can it NOT be rated R_. I ask, in equal sol=emnity, Why SHOULD it be rated R? If I made a film about a sentient evil water balloon that leaked, would it be rated R? How about if it leaked red water? You see my point? \*except for the de-handed Doc. Copperr and the two head shots, of course. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/88 "2011-07-05T22:49:55Z")
Well, is the blood red? Because the way Star Trek VI got around it was to (temporarily) make Klingon blood purple. So my guess is that, the problem is that the blood resembles human blood, not that it comes from a human. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/89 "2011-07-06T00:41:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Take a look at the movie again – all that gore and blood\* was _made-up gore from a made-up creature_. That wasn’t even harmed by losing the blood, I might add. So? There’s enough blood and guys and viscera on display in The Thing to fill an elevator in The Overlook. Does it really matter that the thing being bloodied is a human-like alien instead of a human? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/90 "2011-07-06T05:48:10Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > Two words: Blu-ray What does Blu-Ray have to do with anything? You know the post you quoted was from 2003, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/91 "2011-07-06T05:54:13Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > Two words: Blu-ray 😕 I have no idea why you posted this. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/92 "2011-07-06T06:27:39Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I have no idea why you posted this. A _déjà vu_ is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they post something random. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/93 "2011-07-06T06:41:23Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > A _déjà vu_ is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they post something random. I swear you just said this. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/94 "2011-07-06T08:00:58Z")
> [@Urstupid](#): > > When almost all of them are computers it doesn’t matter how many die. **CalMeacham** is mocking this kind of argument as applied to the violence in The Matrix. Does that clear things up for people? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/95 "2011-07-06T11:29:24Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > **CalMeacham** is mocking this kind of argument as applied to the violence in The Matrix. Does that clear things up for people? If he is, he’s doing a very poor job of it. The Matrix is nearly bloodless while body parts fly with abandon (quite literally) in The Thing. The two are not comparable, even if neither is particualrly realistic in its choice of vicitms. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935/96 "2011-07-06T11:41:22Z")
> [@Urstupid](#): > > When almost all of them are computers it doesn’t matter how many die.The pills were not something serious, like cocaine or something. they were like meds. Whenever u see Tylenol do you cover your kids eyes and scream,DRUGS??? > [@mlees](#): > > I take it you didn’t realise that you were replying to an 8 year old thread, and that the poster has since been banned? (In other words, you’re not gonna get a reply.) And the posts are trolling anyway. Don’t take that stuff seriously, **Urstupid**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-matrix-rated-r/172935.md?page=4)