The BBFC and The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight, released in 2008, with a distributer request for 12A age rating. Before the film was even submitted, it attracted significant attention from the media because of the sudden death of Heath Ledger who played the Joker.

The main classification issues in The Dark Knight are violence and threat. BBFC Guidelines for 12A at the time stated ‘Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries and blood’ and ‘Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only. 

The BBFC received 364 complaints from the public in 2008 about 'The Dark Knight'. People felt that the film was too violent and too dark for children.

In a typical year, the BBFC receives around 450 complaints in total, and so The Dark Knight comprising 42% of all complaints for 2008 was exceptionally high for a single film.  An analysis of this public response revealed that less than 10 per cent of those who complained about the film's suitability for children did actually take children to see the film.