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The Amazing Spider-Man poster

The Amazing Spider-Man

Movie 2012 136 min Action, Adventure, Science Fiction Reviewed by Dan S · Checked 31 Aug 2013
Official Rating M ClearAge 13+

Why our age differs

Official is M. We say 13 because the lizard scares and school peril are strong but the blood and language stay moderate, so it still fits mid-teens with a parent nearby

What we flagged

View all categories
Violence
Moderate
Sex and Nudity
Mild
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Mild

Our take

This reboot follows high-school Peter Parker as he hunts answers about his parents and learns to be Spider-Man against a scientist who becomes a giant lizard. Action sequences get intense, especially when the creature stalks a school and civilians, and a family death weighs on Peter. Swearing is mild, romance is mostly kissing, and blood stays limited. Marvel-curious teens around 13 should manage it with a parent for the scarier transformation and chase scenes

Uplifting themes

Responsibility, courage, and looking out for ordinary people on the street sit at the centre. Peter keeps trying even when adults doubt him. A solid chat starter about doing hard right things Peter is bright, loyal, and willing to risk himself for strangers, while Gwen is brave and clear-headed under pressure. They make mistakes and own them. Good teen leads to argue about over dinner

Story (may spoil tone)

A teenage Peter Parker grapples with both high school and amazing super-human crises as his alter-ego Spider-Man.

What we flagged

View all categories

Violence
Moderate
Sex and Nudity
Mild
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Mild

Details

Violence Moderate Web-slinging fights, sewer chases, and a lizard monster smashing throug…

Web-slinging fights, sewer chases, and a lizard monster smashing through streets and a school fill the runtime. Guns appear, and there is talk of homicide and assault on civilians. Impact is hard, yet gore stays light

Language Mild Mild swearing shows up in tense moments: hell and damn, mostly. It fits…

Mild swearing shows up in tense moments: hell and damn, mostly. It fits stressed teens and cops without turning into a barrage. Easy for most families used to PG-13 style talk

Sex / nudity Mild Peter and Gwen share kisses and the shy heat of a first real romance. N…

Peter and Gwen share kisses and the shy heat of a first real romance. Nothing goes further than kissing and longing looks. It is sweet high-school stuff, not explicit

Drugs / alcohol Mild Peter briefly complains he smells like beer after a messy moment around…

Peter briefly complains he smells like beer after a messy moment around other people. Nobody is shown drinking or getting drunk on screen. It is a blink-and-miss line, not a party plot

Frightening Moderate The scientist's change into the Lizard is body-horror adjacent, with sc…

The scientist's change into the Lizard is body-horror adjacent, with scales, teeth, and a predator stalking hallways. A school lockdown sequence feels properly scary for younger teens. Jumpier kids may want a hand to hold

Child peril / abuse Moderate Teen Peter is in danger throughout, classmates face the Lizard inside a…

Teen Peter is in danger throughout, classmates face the Lizard inside a school, and a parent screams that their kid is trapped during chaos. Minors are frightened and chased on screen. The peril runs longer than a single scare

Bullying / discrimination Mild School jocks shove and belittle Peter in the halls and cafeteria. Class…

School jocks shove and belittle Peter in the halls and cafeteria. Classic teen bullying, not the whole plot. Still worth naming if your child is living that daily

Gore / death / weapons Mild Guns, a pumped shotgun, and animal-like claws show up, and people die o…

Guns, a pumped shotgun, and animal-like claws show up, and people die off the main focus. Blood is sparse; the creature design does more of the unsettling work than open wounds

Grief / bereavement Moderate Peter carries the loss of his parents and later a guardian, with funera…

Peter carries the loss of his parents and later a guardian, with funeral talk and guilt sitting under his heroics. Aunt May's sadness is quiet and real. Those beats can catch kids who have had a family death

Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

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Talk after watching

  • Peter lies to Aunt May while trying to protect her. How do you balance honesty with wanting to spare someone worry?
  • The villain starts as someone trying to cure weakness. Where is the line between helping people and going too far?

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