The MPAA rating system is definitely up for debate as to whether or not it has been a good thing or a bad thing for movies. One movie that gets the PG-13 rating today would have gotten the R rating 20 years ago (mainly because the PG-13 rating wasn't around yet... Thanks a lot Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom!)
Whether you agree with it or not, we have to live with it for a long time until someone comes up with something better.
So, with Prometheus, director Ridley Scott said that he wanted to get as close to an R rating as possible. Of course, this is all about making as much money as you can because it's easier to go see a PG-13 film with family than it is for an R rating. But it's a shame because a film like Promethus deserves the R rating especially since it's a so-called prequel to Alien.
Now a film like The Expendables 2, that is pretty much an action fans fantasy courtesy of explosions, hand to hand combat and guns, should get an R rating for the action alone. But it won't. Sylvestor Stallone himself has said that they will be looking for the PG-13 rating but will still be a big budget action film like the first one.
Prometheus is being released June 8th and The Expendables 2 is being released August 17th.
So, what do you think? Do you like the MPAA rating system? Why do you think independent films get harder treatment when it comes to the rating system over big budget hollywood films?