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Spectral poster

Spectral

Movie 2016 109 min Science Fiction, Thriller, Action Checked by Dan S · 23 Oct 2026
Official Rating PG ClearAge 12+

Why our age differs

Official is PG. We say 12+ because soldiers die on contact with hostile entities and the combat dread runs through most of the runtime

What we flagged

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Violence
Moderate
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Mild

Our take

Spectral is a Netflix war-science thriller where special-ops soldiers and a scientist face ghostlike killers that drop troops on contact. Guns, ambushes, and battlefield deaths sit under a chilly creature mystery, with mild swearing in the field. Sex and drugs are not the point. We land at PG and up because the war setting and lethal entities are tougher than a soft PG night suggests, though the film stays more tactical than torture-horror

Uplifting themes

Teamwork, persistence, and protecting civilians still guide the mission through the dark. Science and courage share the load Soldiers and scientists keep trying under impossible pressure and look out for one another. Leadership is shown as responsibility, not swagger alone

Story (may spoil tone)

A special-ops team is dispatched to fight supernatural beings that have taken over a European city.

What we flagged

View all categories

Violence
Moderate
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Mild

Details

Violence Moderate Soldiers fight through a ruined city with guns, ambushes, and entities…

Soldiers fight through a ruined city with guns, ambushes, and entities that kill on touch. Combat stays frequent even when the mystery leads

Language Mild Hell and the s-word show up in field frustration and panic under fire.…

Hell and the s-word show up in field frustration and panic under fire. Strong language stays mild overall for a war thriller

Frightening Moderate Ghostlike killers, dark corridors, and sudden deaths keep a steady war-…

Ghostlike killers, dark corridors, and sudden deaths keep a steady war-horror chill. Jump moments exist, but atmosphere does more of the work

Gore / death / weapons Mild Firearms and battlefield deaths appear throughout, with some injury foc…

Firearms and battlefield deaths appear throughout, with some injury focus. Gore is restrained compared with harder war films

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

  • Soldiers and scientists argue about what the enemy really is. When should you trust instruments over gut fear?
  • Civilians are caught in a city under threat. What help would you want adults to prioritise first?

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