Parent reviews for Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

This is the first CSM rating I've ever completely disagreed with. I understand there may be lots of parent Star Wars fans who can overlook the violence, but for most kids under 11, this is too much. There is a severed arm, burned bodies, a death by strangulation, and lots of warfare. My daughter (age 10) begged me to see it for the last two years and I finally relented based on CSM recommendations. Big mistake on my part.

I am really shocked that the CSM and the majority think this movie is "perfect for sharing with the kids" and appropriate for 7 year olds. Usually CSM seems super cautious in their ratings and we mentally add a couple years onto their age recommendation, but absolutely regretted putting this on to watch with our kids. First up, Luke's aunt and uncle (his effect parents) are murdered in a horrible fire. There is constant gun shoot outs (albiet no blood or gore). Darth Vader is quite scary. One of the characters cuts a guy's arm off. The main characters are almost crushed in a pit. My 8yo left the room and stopped watching a quarter way in, and we barely toughed it out to the end with our second child. And when all that stuff isn't happening, the story line is incredibly slow and all political talk. I don't understand how younger kids can even follow the story line at all. I just dont see how this is a movie good for kids at all.

I have two kids - 7 and 8. I also teach children at school and have done for just over 20 years. My experience working with young people is extensive - just setting the scene! I want my children to watch this movie - but it is not approriate for them at the moment. It is too violent. Teaching kids to think violance is normal, makes it normal.

My seven-year-old, who was very hyped to finally see some Star Wars and get to know the characters, screamed and cried begging us to stop it almost immediately. For those who don't know the movie by heart, it starts way too violent and scary. In the first few minutes, starships shoot lasers at each other. The good guys' starship gets seriously damaged and captured by the bad guys. The bad guys enter the rebel starship by exploding the entrance. People and stormtroopers (who are probably scary enough just by their looks) shoot lasers at each other and several fall down, probably dead. Darth Vader arrives and lifts one of the good guys by the neck and chokes him? The good guys are seriously underpowered and clearly losing. It is extremely scary for a seven year old, please do not beleive the ratings. Something weird is going on here with the reviews, I don't understand how some people want 4-year-olds to see this, it might even be some deliberate skewing. It might be laughing matter for an adult, but it is not for small kids. I would estimate 12 years for the appropriate age.

So it's easy to say this movie is okay for 7+ as the site currently says, because the tv version sometimes comes on and is edited. My 8yo and I tried to watch this and she was very upset by the part in the beginning in which Obi Wan cuts off someone's arm. its pretty disturbing, and I forgot it ever even happened (in the cantina). Make sure you watch an edited version with a 7+, the orignal version includes the arm part and I think is more violent then what was in The Force Awakens (which is marked as 10+ on the site currently).

Movie is good, but review - child suitability is not correct. Cut off arm with blood - is not suitable for children 7 years old. I propose to adjust this to 9-10 years old.

Unfortunately we didn't finish this movie, in fact we only got to the scene in the bar where Luke meets Hans Solo. My nearly 8 year old was horrified by the image of Luke's aunt and uncles burnt bodies, and then done when someone arm was cut off in the bar scene. I regularly check CSM for movie ages and this one is so far adrift from our experience. This is in no way suitable for a 7 year old. If in doubt, search online for "Luke Skywalker dead Aunt Uncle " and check out the images.

This film should be fine for younger kids since the worst thing in it is a severed arm with a bit of blood but it’s fine since I have been watching this film since I was 5

Maybe we've sheltered our kids (all girls that recently turned 9,7,5) from scary movies and violence but this was well beyond any movie we've shown them with regards to violence. Yet the age rating on this movie was a 7, the same as much milder animated films we've shown them recently. I was eager to show them the movie as it is one of my favorites but was concerned about the suspense and violence. They handled it ok, but they definitely had some anxiety through the movie and we constantly had to remind them it would be ok and soften the more intense scenes to them by explaining things to them. I know friends and family that have allowed their kids to watch this and other similar movies at a younger age. Maybe our girls are just different or we shielded them to much. Anyway, we will see if we have a bed full of kids tonight! ;o)