Black Sheep

What’s it about?

An experiment in genetic engineering turns harmless sheep into bloodthirsty killers that terrorise a sprawling farm in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The facts

• Directed by Jonathan King
• Starring Peter Feeney, Danielle Mason, Nathan Meister, Matthew Chamberlain, and Tammy Davis (Ngāti Rangi, Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi)
• English language
• Runtime: 173 minutes

Why did it get this rating? 

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about the classification process and ratings here.

Horror and scary scenes

This comedy horror film contains graphic and frightening imagery, such as zombie-like sheep hunting humans in attempt to eat them.

Some viewers might be particularly frightened by jump scares and depictions of sheep mutating into menacing man-sheep.

Violence

The violence is very bloody, with frequent comical aspects. In one scene, an older woman shoots a mutated man-sheep in the head with a shotgun, with its brain matter and flesh shown spraying.

Many sheep and man-sheep are killed in various ways by humans.

In one scene, a large group of people are ambushed and eaten alive by countless sheep.

One zombie sheep bites a man’s genitalia off, whilst others bite his arms and stomach, with his intestines shown briefly.

A mutilated sheep carcass is dropped from a great height onto a teenage boy, who decides to hide under it before jumping out and scaring another boy.

Content that may disturb

A male character is found nude from the waist down, after it is heavily implied that he had sex with a sheep, which is still in the room with him. We partly see his buttocks, but no frontal nudity is shown. This scene is played for comedic effect but can still be impactful.

Offensive language

This film contains use of offensive language throughout, with words like “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “bastard.”

When content stays with you: 

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• Brain development – how it works, why it matters