One Surprising Thing About <em>The Odyssey</em>—Its Rating
The U.S. is a relative outlier in keeping Christopher Nolan’s movie away from younger audiences.
Christopher Nolan's film, The Odyssey, which is based on the ancient Greek epic poem, Homer's Odyssey, has received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association (MPA) for violence and some language. This rating is surprising as the film is presented as a family-friendly spectacle by its translator, Emily Wilson, and stars Zendaya.
The MPA, which sets the ratings, is notoriously secretive about its processes and the identities of its raters. The decision to rate The Odyssey as R, which limits its audience to those aged 17 and above, cuts off potential viewers who could benefit from engaging with the ancient Greek epic. The MPA's rating system, while more permissive than the pre-1968 Motion Picture Production Code, is still less transparent and more subjective than its predecessors.
Factors such as the use of strong language and the intensity of violence, particularly if it affects central characters, can influence a movie's rating. The MPA's discretion in applying the rating can have significant implications, leading to debates about the restrictions on what is deemed "adult" content.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
