Australia says new 'Karate Kid' too brutal for kids. Hollywood's remake of the 1984 hit film "The Karate Kid" came under fire on Monday, with an Australian children's group saying it was too violent for a young audience.
The Australian Council on Children and the Media wants the latest movie, which stars martial arts legend Jackie Chan in the role of the older mentor, given a higher classification because of the brutality of some scenes.
The fact that some of the violence is perpetrated by children doesn't lessen the impact, said the council's vice president Elizabeth Handsley.
"Strong violence by a sympathetic character with little or no consequences is shown," she said of the film which stars Jaden Smith, the son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Australia says new 'Karate Kid' too brutal for kids
The Australian Council on Children and the Media wants the latest movie, which stars martial arts legend Jackie Chan in the role of the older mentor, given a higher classification because of the brutality of some scenes.
The fact that some of the violence is perpetrated by children doesn't lessen the impact, said the council's vice president Elizabeth Handsley.
"Strong violence by a sympathetic character with little or no consequences is shown," she said of the film which stars Jaden Smith, the son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
The remake should have been given an "M" rating in Australia, indicating it was not recommended for those under the age of 15, rather than the lower "PG" of parental guidance, Handsley said.
Australia's Classification Review Board originally found the movie should be rated M, but after distributor Sony Pictures appealed, changed this to PG with the advice that it contained "action violence, bullying violence and themes".
The board said the rating was justified because the violence was episodic and infrequent and mainly stylised in nature.
But Glenn Cupit, a child psychologist and also a board member with the council, described the movie's violence as "quite brutal and of an adult type".
"The violence inflicted does not show real life outcomes of serious kicking and punching," he said. "A young audience may not appreciate what will surely result if they copy that violence."
Handsley said the film was a stronger version than the 1984 original which starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.
"No-one's saying that it's a bad movie," she said of the remake, "but that doesn't mean that it's appropriate for little kids". ( msn.com )
Australia's Classification Review Board originally found the movie should be rated M, but after distributor Sony Pictures appealed, changed this to PG with the advice that it contained "action violence, bullying violence and themes".
The board said the rating was justified because the violence was episodic and infrequent and mainly stylised in nature.
But Glenn Cupit, a child psychologist and also a board member with the council, described the movie's violence as "quite brutal and of an adult type".
"The violence inflicted does not show real life outcomes of serious kicking and punching," he said. "A young audience may not appreciate what will surely result if they copy that violence."
Handsley said the film was a stronger version than the 1984 original which starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.
"No-one's saying that it's a bad movie," she said of the remake, "but that doesn't mean that it's appropriate for little kids". ( msn.com )
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