Whenever a movie gets re-released in the UK, it passes through the doors of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to ensure it has the correct rating. The BBFC’s system gets updated from time-to-time, and re-classification is a way to ensure older films carry a rating which is age-appropriate for today’s audience.
A movie which has recently been re-submitted to the BBFC is ‘80s action comedy, Crocodile Dundee II. Directed by John Cornell, the movie stars Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski, and is a sequel to the 1986 smash hit, Crocodile Dundee.
When Crocodile Dundee II was originally released theatrically in 1988, the film was given a ‘PG’ rating in the UK. This means Crocodile Dundee II was considered suitable for general viewing, with a caveat that some scenes could be unsuitable for small children.
When the movie was subsequently released on home video in ‘89, ‘03, and ‘04 it also carried a ‘PG’ rating. However, for its 2025 release, the film has been given a new rating.
When Crocodile Dundee II next appears on home video it will carry a ‘12’ certificate. This means the film is now considered suitable for audiences aged 12 or over.
So, why the change? Well, as noted above, the BBFC regularly updates its classification criteria to reflect the times.
When Crocodile Dundee II was released in ‘88 the criteria suggested the film was best aligned with a ‘PG’ certificate. In fact, at the time of the film’s release, the ‘12’ certificate didn’t exist (it wasn’t introduced until 1989).
As such, the film was either a ‘PG’ or it would have to make the jump to a ‘15’. The ‘15’ rating seemed too much of a leap for the film, so Crocodile Dundee II was awarded the ‘PG’ rating, following some slight cuts to the movie.
Fast forward to 2025 and under the BBFC’s current criteria, the organisation believes that if Crocodile Dundee II was released today it would be a ‘12’. As such, the rating has increased accordingly.
Is there any more to it than that? Nope, it’s that simple, and it happens all the time.
So, when you next seek out Crocodile Dundee II and you notice the certificate seems higher than it once was, it is! But it’s not due to some political correctness (or other such nonsense which may enrage half of the internet), it’s simply a case of the film being rated in line with the current system.
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