Is Primate suitable for a teenager?

By Alex Wiggan

This January, blood will be shed and bananas will be split in the horror movie, Primate. Directed and co-written by Johannes Roberts, the movie focuses on a tropical vacation which turns to terror when a family’s chimpanzee turns savage!

Starring Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, and Troy Kotsur, Primate is set to cause quite a stir when it lands in cinemas. Horror has been very popular as of late, Primate has an intriguing hook (and promises lots of gore), and looks likely to attract attention.

But when Primate hits theatres, will it be a horror for everyone? Put simply, will horror-loving teens be able to watch this one on the big screen?

Let’s take a look at rating.

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Primate UK age rating

In the UK, Primate has been awarded an ’18’ certificate by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). The film has received this rating due to “strong bloody violence, (and) injury detail.”

According to the BBFC, the violence and injury detail is high. In terms of violence there are claw attacks, stabbings, and part of a woman’s scalp is ripped from her head.

Meanwhile, when it comes to injury detail, this includes a character’s face being “ripped off, revealing their skull beneath.” So, pretty graphic stuff!

In the UK, if a film is rated ’18’, then the BBFC believe the movie is suitable for audiences aged 18 and over. No one below this age is permitted to watch an ’18’ certificate movie in a UK cinema, no matter who they are or if they are accompanied by an adult or parent.

As such, the BBFC do not believe Primate is suitable for most teenagers. If you’re 18 or 19 (or above) you’re fine, but any teens below this age it’s a no-go.

So, if you’re a parent, you’ve got a 14-year-old horror fan in your house and they are begging to go and see Primate with their mates, they simply won’t be allowed in the cinema to watch it.

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Primate US age rating

Over to the US now, where things are a bit different. In the US, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has awarded Primate an ‘R’ rating for strong bloody violent content, gore, language, and some drug use.

In the US, ‘R’ rated movies mean they are ‘restricted’. However, the restriction is fairly limited, so it’s a whole different ballgame.

When it comes to ‘R’ rated movies in the US, any one of any age can watch the film in a cinema. The only restriction is that audiences under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult guardian or parent.

So, you could have two kids aged 10 and 12 and they could watch Primate in a US cinema. As long as they have an adult with them, this is allowed.

So, does this mean the MPAA believe Primate is suitable for a teenager? Not necessarily.

The ‘R’ rating is there to suggest the movie might not be suitable for everyone (especially young audiences). The organisation advises parents check what type of movie it is ahead of a screening, and make their own decision on whether it is suitable for the younger members of their family.

So, if you live in the US and you are the parent of a teen, your kids can watch Primate in a cinema. It is up to you to decide if they should.

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Editor/Writer/Chimp

Alex Wiggan

Alex is a writer, editor, and blogger specialising in movies, TV, comics, retro toys, and general geekery. He is a championing voice in nerd content, an expert in pop culture, and a trusted movie critic who publishes new reviews on a weekly basis. After graduating with a degree in film & television studies from the University of Derby in the UK, Alex went on to study journalism in Sheffield, before acquiring NCTJ accreditation. Prior to a career in blogging, Alex was a magazine editor, a senior copywriter, a features writer, and a freelancer.

Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about Primate. For more posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.