10 Movies That Would Be Better With An R-rating

Adding blood, sex and swearing isn't always an upgrade, but when it comes to these PG-13 rated films, it wouldn't hurt.

By: Premiere.com Staff
03/02/2009 03:40 pm

It's official now, Terminator Salvation is going to be PG-13. Warner Bros. got what it wanted and McG ... well the director had to settle for what the studio wanted. This rating-battle got us thinking about other recent PG-13 movies that could benefit with a little more wiggle room from the MPAA.

Lakeview Terrace

A Sam Jackson movie just isn't the same unless he's calling people motherf%ckers every five seconds.

Cloverfield

People in New York swear all the time, something tells us they wouldn’t start toning it down when a huge monster rolls into town.

Bourne Trilogy

It’s tough to make these movies any better, but what about more believable? We know Bourne is a trained killer, so why not add more blood during the fight scenes.

Aeon Flux

What made Aeon Flux a hit in the first place was how dark, and sometimes even gross, it was. The movie version toned it down and reduced it to a rather typical action flick.

Live Free or Die Hard

The Unrated version was a thousand times better, but it never made it to the theater and still hasn't even gotten a Blu-ray release. Without John McClane's foul mouth, the fourth flick almost didn't feel like part of the franchise.

Max Payne

They probably didn't want to waste the mass market appeal Mila Kunis and Marky Mark brought to the table, but the video game was rated M and the movie should have been, too.

The Ring

Not only were the effects pretty lame, but it set the tone for a whole generation of crappy PG-13 horror films.

Taken

It was already gory and intense, but we couldn't help being a little jealous of the Europeans getting the extra two-seconds of torture left out of the American theatrical version.

AVP

Both Alien and Predator carried their R-ratings into the hearts of action/sci-fi fans. But when the two met for the first time, they did it in a PG-13 cop-out that seemed like it was more about selling action figures than making a movie worthy of either franchise.

The Transporter

Jason Statham hasn't met an action movie he didn't like, but the R-rated ones usually turn out a little more entertaining. Plus, swear words sound so cool in that accent of his.

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Comments

Join the discussion!
Why Bother Changing the Rating?
on March 9, 2009
Most of the movies were sensational. Oddly enough, I wouldn't have see them unless someone told me that they shouldn't be rated PG13. R movies aren't for everyone. Not that I haven't seen 1 or 2. . .but just the same. Film careers in directing, acting, editing, screen writing, cinematography, producing, lighting, camera, set building, props, sound, post production, rigging, gaffing, etc. happens best with a one on one mentorship programs at http://www.film-connection.com your film school alternative. Get connected while in the program - working you with a real world professional.
Disagree about The Ring
on March 4, 2009
Most horror and action movies could be improved by making them edgier with an R rating, but The Ring was just fine the way it was. The movie used creepy imagery to scare the audience rather than relying solely on gore, the result being a suspenseful, intriguing horror movie (which allows the viewer to get past the idiotic plot device of the videotape). Sometimes less is more.
Somebody can't count...
on March 4, 2009
Because I definitely counted 10 movies listed
Duh... Every "PG-13" movie would be better as "R"
on March 4, 2009
For a real challenge, find 10 "R" movies that would be better as "PG-13". Good luck
Beg to differ
on March 4, 2009
The Bourne trilogy would have been a lot better with a steady cam instead of that shaky cam laziness. More blood doesn't make a movie R rated. Jack Nicholson once said 'If you suck on a tit the movie gets an R rating. If you hack the tit off with an axe it will be PG'
TRANSFORMERS
on March 3, 2009
That movie was way to childish.
Taken FTW
on March 3, 2009
The "real" version of Taken has Liam Neeson grabbing metal spikes and ramming them into the dude's thighs before hooking them up to the power. So much better than the pussy US Version where he just attaches them to the chair.
Gugino
on March 3, 2009
The Dark Knight would be better R-Rated only because it sucked and a couple F-bombs and some nudity would of made it slightly good.
Um....
on March 3, 2009
The Dark Knight?!
The Dark Knight
on March 3, 2009
Would've been great R or UR.
An extra addition to the list
on March 3, 2009
300, I lied that it was a 15 (in the UK) as I got to see it at the cinema, but I felt the toned down blood and violence was a lil disappointing really.
agreed
on March 3, 2009
i agree just about every movie without an R rating would be better with blood and sex, but the ones you picked definitely are true. X-men and other comic book movies are always better with these ingredients, ie Sin City
umm....
on March 3, 2009
thats only 9 movies
taken
on March 3, 2009
the real version of taken kicks so much more ass than the american release
STATHAM, not Stratham
on March 3, 2009
That is all
PG13 sucks..
on March 3, 2009
I have to totally agree, the trouble is that the studios are afraid that no one will see there film if it has an R rating. Not that people don't want to see R rated films... it's the fact that movies theaters are forced to no longer let people under 18 into R rated films. AVP R rated would have rocked. Hollywood when making films like AVP really should shoot as if they are making an Unraited version. edit down to the R or PG13 movie version. Then sell to dvd the unraided Version. That would put more excitement back into dvd buying.
HANCOCK, and I am Legend
on March 3, 2009
Hancock and I am Legend both had great premises but in order to make money the studios made them PG 13, so they ended up sucking.
Transporter
on March 3, 2009
I dunno dude, I dont think you can make transporter any better. ETR www.privacy-center.pro.tc

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