Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) - Parents Guide Movie Rating

MPA: PG BBFC: U Maturity Rating 7+

MPAA Reason: Rated PG for sci-fi action/violence.

BBFC Reason: Contains mild fantasy adventure violence

BBFC Ratings info: STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE is an action-adventure science fiction prequel to the 1977-1983 STAR WARS trilogy. Violence: The film contains several battle scenes, lightsaber duels and chase/escape sequences. The violence mainly takes place during skirmishes between human and non-human characters such as robots. However one prominent lightsaber fight takes place between two main characters and a villain. During the sequence a key character is killed, after which a small dark patch is seen on a cloak. Later in the film, another character is cut in two when he is hit by a lightsaber strike.This occurs offscreen, although a very faint red mist is briefly visible indicating the strike has occurred. After this, the two parts of the body fall down a chasm, although without any blood or injury detail. The film includes a racing scene in which a young boy is in danger; however, he is presented as resourceful and skilled. Other chases and battles are presented but with a clear fantastical element. The film also includes some very mild rude humour, including an animal breaking wind.

Sex & Nudity

none

Violence & Gore

mild

A man uses his light saber to cut another man in half. We see the other man's shocked reaction and some red mist, and he falls into a pit with his lower body falling away from his upper body. Apart from the very brief red mist, we don't see any more blood or gore. At the instruction of a villain, a ship is fired upon by laser turrets and explodes with two pilots, a man, and a woman inside. A sea monster is violently torn in half by a larger sea monster. Later another sea creature bites a gar-like creature's tail. Jabba the Hutt bites a small creature's head off and spits it on a gong. Blood spatters. Using rifles with scopes, some spectating Sand People fire upon the pod racers. One racer's vehicle is damaged by a bullet and destabilizes, killing the operator. Uniformed combatants are killed in aerial and terrestrial combat with robots, but no blood is evident. Several bodies are shown lying dead on the ground while pilots are shown exploding in their starfighter crafts the moment the craft is hit by laser fire. Two men battle an alien in an intense lightsaber dual. A man is stabbed in the middle of his torso. He gasps in pain and falls to the ground, and can be briefly seen having a hole through his back. A man slices another man in two, and both halves of him can be clearly seen when he falls down a shaft. Blood powder sprays out, but the actual cut is not shown. A space station explodes, killing all of the sentient beings aboard it. Many robots are sliced in half, dismembered, stabbed, decapitated, slashed, or gunned down. Darth Maul stabs Qui Gon and kills him.

Profanity

none

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

none

Frightening & Intense Scenes

mild

Many racers, who are strange aliens, are killed or injured in a pod race. It is not bloody or graphic but very intense. The battle near the end of the film is intense but with minimal to no blood at all. Only several dead bodies are visible. A child, only slightly nevous, is caught up in the violence as well, being fired upon by enemy forces and, through using his starfighter craft, firing upon them accordingly. The battle near the end where Darth maul and Qui-Gon fight results in his death;we see the lightsaber peirce his abdomen briefly.