Twisters age rating explained: Is it too scary for kids?

Although 1996’s Twister might not seem hugely frightening now, at the time of release it was considered revolutionary for its visual effects, throwing audiences into what felt like a real-life storm.

Now the unexpected sequel, Twisters, is throwing the storm chasers back into the ring, and movie-making has come a long way since then. But does that mean the new movie might not be suitable for all audiences?

As with many of the best action movies (and sequels of classic blockbusters), some may be wanting to bring their kids along for the ride.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Twisters age rating, including details on what moments in the sequel might be too much for younger audiences.

What’s the Twisters age rating?

Twisters is rated PG-13 in the US for “intense action and peril, some language, and injury images.”

This means parents are strongly cautioned in showing the movie to children under the age of 13, as some content may be inappropriate.

In the UK, it’s been rated 12A by the British Board of Film Classification for “moderate threat and injury detail.”

The BBFC also noted “comic interludes reduce the impact of intense storm scenes.”

Can kids watch it?

Kids can technically watch the movie in theaters with parental supervision, though parents should use their discretion, as there are some pretty intense scenes.

The storm sequences are very loud and frantic, and people are often shown being sucked up into the tornado. There’s also lots of screaming and characters shown to be in distress.

All in all, these sequences might be distressing to younger audiences, especially since twisters are a real-life phenomenon. However, there are also scenes that show the characters having fun in the storms and studying them in a scientific context, which lightens the atmosphere somewhat.

There’s some minor injuries sustained throughout the movie, with one particularly bloody moment in the first scene, when Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) gets a large cut on her leg. Though this is about as bad as it gets in terms of violence or injury detail.

For more, check out the Twisters soundtrack and see what we thought with our Twisters review. Or, check out all the best new movies to stream right now.