Primetime
NZ release: 29 October 2026
Sexual violence themes, suicide, nudity and offensive language Rated on: 01 July 2026
What’s it about?
Inspired by true events. In 2006, "To Catch a Predator" host Chris Hansen sets out to make television history. But when a high-stakes operation goes fatally wrong, his veneered dream of fame turns into a nightmare of performative justice.
The facts
- Directed by Lance Oppenheim (You Can See Everything)
- Starring Robert Pattinson (The Drama), Merritt Wever (The Gilded Age), Skyler Gisondo (Superman) and Phoebe Bridgers
- English language
- Runtime: 109 minutes
- Dramatised production of the television series To Catch a Predator (2004 to 2007)
Why did it get this rating?
This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about classification process and ratings here.
Sexual violence themes and nudity
The programme deals extensively with men who believe they are communicating online with children for sexual purposes. Explicit sexual chat messages are displayed and read aloud, including references to sexual acts and genitalia. Two instances of full-frontal male nudity are shown. There is no depiction of sexual violence against children, and the men are communicating with adult decoys rather than actual children.
Suicide
A man dies by suicide using a gun as police and a television crew enter his home. He is seen holding the gun to his head before a gunshot is heard. The screen flashes red and he falls out of view.
Offensive language
Frequent strong language includes ‘f*ck’, ‘motherf*cker’, ‘sh*t’, ‘c*ck’, and ‘hoe’. Language is used in sexually explicit conversations, insults and everyday dialogue.
Violence
There are descriptions of violence between people following the disappearance of children, including references to children's bodies being found dismembered. A man is struck in the head, another is dragged by a noose, and police are shown tackling men during arrests Some unsettling imagery is used to create an atmosphere of psychological distress.
Youth Advisory Panel comments
Four members of the Youth Advisory Panel attended the examination screening. They said the film dealt with strong themes that may not be understood by teenagers. The fact that it was based on real events made it stronger.
They said the suicide was one of the strongest parts. While it wasn’t graphically detailed, the suddenness of it and the way it was shown was very impactful.
They mentioned they were not expecting the horror imagery and that it was effective in making them feel uncomfortable.
They mentioned the sexual content and the violence content, but said it was not strong.
The offensive language was strong at times, and the film used the word ‘c*ck’ a lot.
The members of the panel said they thought it could be classified R16 or higher, but it definitely should not be any lower than that. They suggested content warnings could include sexual themes, nudity, sexual abuse themes, horror, and suicide.
Helplines
The sexual violence themes and suicide could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:
Further information
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