NZ Censor's Office Steps In Over 'Suicide Squad' Violence 

Censor\'s office steps in over Suicide Squad\'s \'menacing characters\' and \'relentless violence\'

Jared Leto’s Joker and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.

Citing the action-adventure\'s treatment of sex, horror, cruelty and violence, now no 12 year old or under will be allowed to see the film, after the Classification Office announced on Monday that the movie, originally rated M, was now an R13.

Films and games with an M label can be sold, hired, or shown to anyone. 

Suicide Squad has been screening in NZ cinemas since early August.

Responding to a public complaint that the original rating was inappropriate, especially given the portrayal of an abusive relationship between Margot Robbie\'s Harley Quinn and Jared Leto\'s Joker and the promotion of a character, Diablo (Jay Hernandez), who killed his family, chief censor Andrew Jack and his team decided that they should do their own classification, rather than just continue with the original cross-rating from Australia.

In the summary of reasons for the reclassification, the chief censor says "the combination of menacing characters, depictions of cruelty, torture and abuse, and the relentless violence would be frightening, shocking and disturbing to younger children".

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After a complaint from a member of the public, the New Zealand Office of Film & Literature Classification has reclassified Suicide Squad as R13.

"Older children may well feel able to cope with this material given its fantastical nature, however there is risk in exposing children to such matters as entertainment. The sheer extent of cruelty and violence has an inuring effect, which would adversely affect the healthy emotional and social development of children.

"Regarding the Joker and Harley, a level of maturity is required to critique the complexities of this abusive adult relationship. Not only is Harley objectified by men, but her lover treats her with a combination of affection, manipulation and physical cruelty. Impressionable children may be confused by this or be inclined to view this dynamic as normal. As an iconic character, it is likely that younger viewers will favour the Joker and regard the abusive treatment of women as acceptable."

"While some other M-rated superhero films contain a comparable degree of violence, they lack the compounding sexually abusive themes, the moral ambiguity around criminal behaviour, and the overlay of pervasive cruelty. The violence in

 is relentless and the cruelty is sadistic, even sexualised. There is no clear delineation of good and evil, and crime and violence are presented as acceptable in certain circumstances. This is likely to have a negative effect on the attitudes of children toward criminal and violent behaviour."

The decision comes towards the end of the film\'s release in this country. Out since early August, it has so far accumulated more than $5m at the New Zealand box office. It is still showing on 57 screens nationwide.

This is also the second time in recent months that the NZ Classifications Office and their Australian counterparts have had differing opinions on a film. In July, Australian body image documentary

was granted an unrestricted M rating here after it had been banned for those under 15 in Australia.

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