Deliverance Creek

Graphic war scenes show soldiers shooting each other at close range as well as some cold-blooded killings done more for fun than necessity. In one case, a man torments an injured soldier, threatening to slice off his ear or slit his throat. In other cases, men use swords to kill. An innocent bystander is killed when he's mistaken for an enemy, and another is shot in a robbery. Two people hang from gallows as an escaped slave is whipped nearby. A surgical scene shows blood and mangled flesh as a bullet is removed. Outlaws -- and, in some cases, soldiers -- are a threatening presence within a community. A woman rebuffs a man's drunken harassment by threatening him with a pitchfork; in another scene, she shoots him in the leg.

Some kissing between adults, and, in one scene, a couple's (literal) roll in the hay almost leads to more before they're interrupted. One scene hints at an evening rendezvous between partners, but it doesn't pan out. There's mention of the town's whorehouse.

The language of the time includes references to "Injuns" and slaves calling their owners "massuh." Also: "bitch," "son of a bitch," "goddamn," "hell," and "damn."

Adults drink in a saloon, and a man is said to be drunk when he tries to force himself on a female neighbor.

Parents need to know that Deliverance Creek is a Civil War period drama that doesn't hold back from the tension and uncertainty of the time. Graphic war scenes show soldiers shooting and slaying men, often close up and, at times, with a sense of enjoyment. Another scene displays a couple after they've been hanged while an escaped slave is whipped and his children watch. Lives always hang in the balance, sometimes because of morally sound choices that are in conflict with the laws of the times. Other features of the story are historically accurate but still upsetting, particularly in how slave owners speak to and treat slaves. Strong language ("bitch," "goddamn," "hell") is a concern, and a mother's loss is emotional and raw. That said, this beautifully crafted story features strong female leads who stand for their convictions even when it puts them at risk.