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The MPAA’s Bizarre Ratings

Shep Ramsay of Movie Chop Shop takes a look at some of the MPAA's strange habits when it comes to describing the content of movies:

1. The MPAA vs. Batman

The Dark Knight – Rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of violence and some menace.”
Remember Dennis the Menace? As logic would dictate, he was so cataclysmically menacing that it provided the very foundation for the kid’s namesake. (Like, remember that one episode where he showed Mr. Wilson his disappearing pencil trick?) Now, I’m not here to dispute the validity of his label as a “menace,” but are the creators of this character underestimating the meaning of the word “menace” or is the MPAA overestimating its meaning when they characterize the Joker’s mass-murdering mischief as “menace?” And what’s this “some” business, too? They can’t even throw him his due credit for creating what should have been phrased as “one colossal f**k of a lot of damn menace.” Or am I reading the syntax incorrectly? Do they mean to say “some (douchebag who is indeed a very large) menace (upon Gotham City and its inhabitants)?” And how does Batman Begins get flagged for “disturbing images,” but nothing in The Dark Knight is formally deemed “disturbing?” They get bonus points here for some much-needed brevity, but it certainly doesn’t line up in favor of consistency.

--The MPAA's Greatest Hits: Craziest ratings descriptions

About J. Ott

John Ott is a writer, filmmaker and futurist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.