Some Italian parents are giving a big thumbs down to Avatar, the second highest grossing movie of all time.

The MPAA gave Avatar a PG-13 rating for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking.

When Avatar begins playing in 910 Italian theaters, it'll do so without restriction.

As reported by Variety, the organization at the center of the debacle is Mogie. They claim, the decision represents a discrimination against the protection of Italian children.

In the UK, the cinema release was rated 12A (under 12s allowed if accompanied by an adult). The BBFC explained their decision:

Avatar is a 3D science fiction action adventure film about a man whose genetically engineered human-alien hybrid has been grown on a planet and is intended to persuade the indigenous population to relocate and allow the human military to drill for valuable minerals. It was passed 12A for moderate violence and intense battle scenes.

At 12A, violence guidelines state that Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context. This film contains some battle scenes where characters are killed or injured and which show arrows piercing bodies, fight scenes where characters are occasionally heavily kicked or punched, and a fight scene between a man wearing a large metal body armour suit and repeatedly stabbing a fantastical creature. However, these scenes do not generally feature gory images, lack stronger detail and do not emphasise injuries or blood as blows or points of impact are generally impressionistic or occur offscreen, so these scenes are allowable at 12A but exceeded PG allowances.

As for the intense battle scenes, PG guidelines note that Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor. The occasional intense battle scenes towards the end of the film are prolonged and intense and include scenes where the heroic characters are attacked or threatened. Although the context is clearly fantastical, it does not mitigate against the aggressive tone and overall impact which may disturb a child aged around eight or older, so these scenes are not allowable at PG although such scenes are not frequent and are not the sort of sustained disturbing sequences that would exceed the 12A horror guideline.

Avatar also contains some moderate and mild language; occasional scenes showing an older character smoking, which is not promotional or glamorous; a mild and oblique verbal drug reference and a very mild sex reference when a female character states that she and a male character are mated.

 

China is to pull the plug on screenings of Avatar at most cinemas and replace the Golden Globe-winning film with a 'patriotic' biopic on the life of Confucius, according to reports.

Hong Kong's Apple Daily said the state-run China Film Group has ordered cinemas across China to stop showing the 2D version of the film and to show only the 3D edition, amid concerns from China's censors that it could cause unrest. Because there are so few 3D cinemas on the mainland, the order effectively prevents general distribution of the James Cameron blockbuster.

The Central Publicity Department is said to have issued an order to the media prohibiting it from hyping up Avatar, the newspaper said.

The film opened on 4 January to queues across the country, with Imax cinemas said to be booked for weeks ahead. It was due to run until 28 February, including over Chinese new year. Instead, the reports said, the 2D version will close on 23 January.

Avatar is a 2009 CGI laden action adventure by James Cameron. See IMDb

James Cameron has re-inserted the Na'vi lovemaking scene. Cameron explained that he removed the scene for the initial theatrical run after getting a negative reaction from test audiences: I always felt that it was a good moment, so I wanted to put it back in,

Cameron described the lovemaking scene between Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana noting that it lasts all of about 20 seconds. It's been restored, every last frame of it. Seriously. I would say, just so that we correctly manage people's expectations, it does not change our rating at all. I would call it more of an alien foreplay scene. It's not like they're ripping their clothes off and going at it.

This Extended Version/Special Edition was passed 12/12A uncut for the 2010 cinema release/DVD/Blu-ray. It runs 8 or 9 minutes longer than the original.

The BBFC explained their 12/12A certificate (See article from bbfc.co.uk):

Avatar is an extended version of a science fiction action adventure film. The film tells the story of a human who attempts to persuade the indigenous population of an alien planet to relocate by controlling a genetically cloned avatar with the outward appearance of one of the natives. The original version was classified 12A for moderate violence and intense battle scenes. This extended version has also been classified 12A, for the same reasons.

The BBFC's Guidelines at 12A'/'12 state that Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context. AVATAR contains a number of battle scenes in which characters are killed or injured. We see some moderate violence, including sight of arrows piercing bodies, fight scenes where characters are heavily kicked or punched, and a fight scene between a man wearing a large metal body armour suit and a fantastical creature. However, these scenes do not generally feature gory images or strong detail and do not emphasise injuries or blood. Blows and sight of impacts are generally impressionistic or occur offscreen.

With regard to the intense battle scenes, the PG guidelines note that Frightening sequences should not be prolonged or intense. Fantasy settings may be a mitigating factor. The intense battle scenes towards the end of the film are both prolonged and intense and include scenes where the heroic characters are attacked or threatened. Although the context is clearly fantastical, the level of intensity may disturb a child aged around eight or older, meaning that the scenes are more appropriately placed at 12A.

Avatar also contains some moderate and mild language; occasional scenes showing an older character smoking, although the portrayal does not promote or glamorise smoking; a mild and oblique verbal drug reference and a very mild sex reference when a female character states that she and a male character are mated.

A special extended 3D edition of James Cameron's science fiction film Avatar has been withdrawn by its Maltese distributors after the censor  board gave it a 12-rating rather than PG.

The original version of Avatar, screened in 2D and 3D, was classified PG and ran for 20 weeks in cinemas.

However, KRS Film Distributors said they did not agree with the new classification awarded to the extended version, which had an additional eight minutes of scenes scattered throughout the entire film.

The additional scenes in the special edition do not justify the film being given a higher classification than that of the original film, KRS said.

KRS Film Distributors and 20th Century Fox were left no option but to withdraw Avatar Special Edition 3D from playing in cinemas in Malta.

In the UK, the original version of Avatar in 2D and 3D and its extended 3D version were classified 12A.