“A History of Violence” is a crime thriller that explores the dark past of a seemingly ordinary man. While critically acclaimed, its graphic content warrants a careful assessment for parents. This guide delves into the specifics of violence and gore depicted in the film to help you make an informed decision about its suitability for your family.
The film contains intense scenes of violence, some of which are quite graphic and disturbing. Here’s a breakdown:
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Extremely Graphic Fight Sequences: The movie features several brutal fight scenes. For example, a man fights off multiple attackers, employing lethal force. He brutally kicks one man in the head after he was choked, repeatedly punches another man in the face until his nose is a bloody mess, shoots another in the chest, and snaps another’s neck. The aftermath shows several men dead or severely wounded, lying motionless in pools of blood.
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Shootings and Stabbings: Another intense scene involves a man fighting two assailants. He strikes one with a coffee pot and shoots another threatening a woman. He then shoots the first attacker after being stabbed in the foot, resulting in the man’s jaw being blown off, a massive pool of blood, and the sound of gurgling as he dies.
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Close-Up Violence: The movie doesn’t shy away from showing the consequences of violence up close. One scene shows a man being shot twice in the chest with visible blood splatter. Another features a man shot in the head, displaying a bloody hole with blood seeping onto the ground.
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Disturbing Discoveries: Characters stumble upon horrifying scenes. A dead man is found propped up in a chair with a bloody neck wound and a smear of blood on a desk. A woman is discovered lying dead in a pool of blood.
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Extreme Facial Injury: One particularly gruesome scene shows a man holding a gun on another. The man with the gun proceeds to punch the other man repeatedly in the face, tearing off his nose, leaving him twitching on the ground with bloody remains where his nose used to be. A supporting character is then shot in the chest, and another in the back, splattering blood onto yet another character.
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Implied Violence Against Children: A particularly disturbing moment involves a young girl discovering two dead bodies. As she cries, the killer points a gun at her, and a gunshot is heard, implying her death, although the actual shooting isn’t shown on screen.
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Sexual Violence: A violent encounter occurs between a man and a woman which appears to begin consensually but becomes violent. The man grabs the woman around the throat, pushes her down the stairs, and removes her panties. More details are available in the Sex/Nudity section.
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Teen Violence and Bullying: The film also portrays teenage violence, including a scene where a boy shoves another from behind, kicks him in the groin, knees another, slams him into a locker, kicks him in the stomach, and repeatedly slams his face into the floor, resulting in a very bloody nose and mouth.
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Threats and Intimidation: The movie includes scenes of threats and intimidation. For example, a man yells at another, and another man grabs a woman, shoves her into a chair, and prepares to kill her with a knife.
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Domestic Violence: There are instances of domestic violence, including a man slapping his teenage son in the face. A woman nearly shoots her husband after mistaking him for an intruder.
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Other Violent Details: The film also contains other violent elements, such as characters with visible injuries (bloody cuts, bruises, scars) and discussions of past violent acts (stabbing, strangling). One scene features a woman vomiting loudly.
Given the intense and graphic nature of the violence and gore depicted, “A History of Violence” is best suited for mature audiences. Parents should carefully consider the descriptions above before allowing younger viewers to watch the film.
