The Dark Knight Rises

NZ release: 19 July 2012

Violence Rated on: 13 July 2012

the dark knight rises poster

What’s it about?

When Bane terrorises Gotham City, disrupting its eight-year-long period of peace, Bruce Wayne is forced to come out of hiding and face the villain.

The facts 

  • Directed by Christopher Nolan (Interstellar, Inception)
  • Starring Christian Bale (American Psycho), Michael Caine (The Prestige), Heath Ledger (10 Things I Hate About You), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Secretary), Aaron Eckhart (Thank You For Smoking), Gary Oldman (Dracula), and Morgan Freeman (Seven)
  • English and Arabic languages
  • Runtime: 152 minutes

Why did it get this rating? 

This film game was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

This film contains depictions of characters using various weapons. People are shot, stabbed, injured, and killed in shootings, fistfights and explosions, though aside from a few scenes there is little blood or detail of injury.

Some of the strongest violence includes:

  • A villain breaks the necks of several people, with their bodies going limp as they drop dead
  • A tank is stolen and used against police and citizens, killing many innocent people whose bodies lay in the streetMen are shown hanging dead from a bridge in the distance
  • A character’s spine is dislocated during a fight, although he later recovers

Coarse language

The film contains mild coarse language, with words like “sons of b*tches,” “d*ckhead,” and “sh*t.”

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.  

Further information 

Recent featured decisions

13 November 2025

Wicked: For Good

Wicked: Part 2

Violence & sexual references

Elphaba challenges the Wizard’s harsh rule and ends up being seen as the “Wicked Witch of the West.” The Wizard then makes Glinda “Glinda the Good” and presents her as Oz’s hero. In this sequel, both witches make choices that shape their futures.

Read more

07 November 2025

Pluribus

Plur1bus

Coarse language, dangerous behaviour, content that may disturb, drug use, horror, offensive language, nudity, sexual references, violence

In a world consumed by a strange surge of manufactured joy, Carol Sturka, immune to the effect, must uncover the truth and rescue humanity from its own bliss.

Read more