I was really disappointed when I found out that Star Wars: The Force Awakens got a PG-13 rating because my little sisters, ages 8 and 12, have been so excited to see it. But how does one decide if it is ok for their kids without getting any spoilers. Here is my spoiler free review:

It was rated PG-13 for “sci-fi action and violence,” which is, by the way, the same descriptor used for the PG rating of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones which is arguably the most violent PG film. The violence?

• bloody hand on helmet
• space fights
• alien squid monsters
• blasters
• lightsabers
• offscreen, saber fatally pierces chest (camera is focused on faces; happens twice)

Unlike in all the other films there are no amputations that I can recall. Unlike in the prequels, there are no beheadings. No children are slain, and when an entire town is destroyed it happens offscreen.

My personal opinion is that the PG-13 rating is wrong, or due to volume rather than intensity. For additional help, check out attached screenshots of the PluggedIn’s (Focus on the Family)—I have blacked out any spoiler content—or view it in its entirety.

P.S. While I can offer my opinion and information, it is not my decision whether my sisters get the to see the movie or not. That is up to their parents, as it should be.