Logan, Hugh Jackman’s third Wolverine spin-off from the X-Men film series, was the most complained-about film at UK cinemas in 2017.
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which administers the cinema ratings system, issued its annual report on Thursday in which it said 20 complaints were received about the film, which it had given a 15 certificate. (This compares with the 51 complaints received in 2016 for Deadpool, and 40 the year before for Spectre.)
In its report, the BBFC said: “Members of the public who wrote in felt that the film’s violence was too strong for a 15 classification and would have been more appropriately placed at 18. However, the BBFC classification guidelines permit strong violence at 15, provided it does not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. While the violence in Logan is strong and frequently bloody, it is also rapidly edited with a focus on action rather than sadism. The film’s fantastical setting and super-powered central character further distances the violence from reality, allowing the issue to be acceptable at 15.”
The second most-complained about film was the 12A certificate controversial Hindi language epic Padmaavat, a historical drama about the celebrated 13th-century Indian queen Padmini. The BBFC said it had received 10 complaints that it “misrepresented a revered figure in India”, but that “nothing in Padmaavat is unacceptable at the 12A category”.
Atomic Blonde, the violent thriller starring Charlize Theron, drew eight complaints. The BBFC defended its 15 rating, saying: “There are frequent scenes of strong violence in the film, including people being shot, resulting in large spurts of blood into the air or onto walls, and gruelling fist fights. However, the violence is presented in a stylised manner.”
