The Batman: Belfast only city in UK to give new film a 15A rating

A decision by Belfast City Council means children under the age of 15 can see the new Batman film if they are accompanied by an adult.

The Batman was originally rated 15 by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

Belfast is the only place in the UK where the Robert Pattinson film will have a 15A rating.

This is a certification more commonly used in the Republic of Ireland.

The BBFC describes the film, which hits theaters on Friday, as “a crime thriller in which a vigilante teams up with a detective to solve a series of murders being carried out by a mystery-loving killer.”

On its website, the agency says the film exceeds guidelines at 12A but was suitable for viewers aged 15 and over.

While the BBFC classification is a guide for cinemas, their licenses to show films are granted by local councils and authorities, meaning the councils have the final say on what can be shown on the big screen and who can see it .

In February, a proposal to reclassify The Batman as 15A was presented to the Belfast City Council (BCC) Licensing Committee by a local cinema chain, but was narrowly rejected.

The issue was then brought to a full council meeting earlier this week by Sinn Féin Councilor Arder Carson.

Mr Carson told the meeting: “My Batphone has been ringing non-stop for the past two weeks and people have been asking me what in the sweet name of Gotham City is going on at this licensing committee.

“Given what is going on in the world and the lockdowns and restrictions of the last two years, this seems like a small potato to us, but for hundreds if not thousands of young people it is such a big deal.

“I think we have to trust our parents.”

The motion to rate the film 15A in Belfast cinemas was then approved without a vote.

dr Sian Barber, Lecturer in British Cinema, Film and History at Queen’s University Belfast, described BCC’s decision as “intriguing and quite progressive”.

But she added: “It’s a really slippery slope. If you start, where do you stop?”

dr Barber said the hype around The Batman means it’s a film that could bring people back to cinemas after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic and will therefore bring in big money.

“So why not actually extend it and make sure you get as many bums on the seats as possible?” she said.

The Batman isn’t the first superhero film to have its classification relaxed.

The 12th certificate of the 2002 film Spider-Man was downgraded to PG by local councils in parts of England under public pressure, but a number of other authorities chose to stick with the BBFC recommended classification.

The uproar eventually led to the BBFC revising the film’s rating, introducing category 12A, meaning children under the age of 12 could see the film when accompanied by an adult.

The BBFC says it currently has no plans to introduce a 15A rating for other UK viewers as there has been little public feedback from parents for it.

It states: “The content of films rated 15 is stronger in terms of discriminatory language and behavior, drug use, sex and violence, and these are all elements that parents tell us are appropriate for children over the age of 15 about 12 years are not acceptable.”

The Batman franchise has caused problems for the BBFC in the past.

The decision to rate Christopher Nolan’s 2008 film The Dark Knight a 12A resulted in 364 complaints, which the agency said was by far the largest number it has ever received about a single film.

Many of those complaints said the film was too dark and violent for children.

When it comes to the latest offering in the Batman universe, Dr. Barber said there will be younger teens who want to see it, and there will be other teens who are “going to be scared to death.”

“It’s really difficult, but I think there will be pressure on other councils and local authorities to watch this film again,” she added.

Like most good movies, Dr. Barber that there will be a sequel to the BCC decision.

But it may well come in the form of a backlash.