Why is ‘The Suicide Squad’ Rated R?

The Suicide Squad is busting down the doors over at HBO Max. James Gunn‘s new sequel to the DC action flick landed on the streamer last night (August 5), and it’s a real thrill a minute. If you’re looking to catch up with Margot Robbie‘s Harley Quinn and meet a whole slew of new folks in the killer Suicide Squad, now’s your chance to finally stream the film. But if you’ve got some kiddos looking to watch this comic book movie, you may be a little hesitant. The first Suicide Squad was rated PG-13, making it pretty accessible to a younger audience — what about this new sequel? We can help.

Gunn’s new installation in the DCEU has a bevy of celebs ready to fight fire with fire. Alongside Robbie, the cast includes Michael Rooker, Viola Davis, John Cena, Idris Elba, Joel Kinnaman, Nathan Fillion, Pete Davidson, Sean Gunn, and Jai Courtney. The superhero (or rather, supervillain) movie follows folks like Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a handful of other frenzied foes as they team up to become Task Force X and save the day. But “saving” is a concept unknown to villains like these guys, so, naturally, chaos ensues.

Wondering if that chaos is age-appropriate for youngsters? Here’s everything we know about The Suicide Squad‘s rating.

What is The Suicide Squad rated?

The MPAA has given The Suicide Squad a Restricted (R) rating — meaning that if it were in theaters, anyone under the age of 17 would not be able to watch the film without an adult present. Since the film is streaming, kids can avoid that measure. But why did The Suicide Squad earn this rating? Keep reading to find out.

Why is The Suicide Squad rated R?

According to the MPAA, The Suicide Squad earned its R rating due to “drug use, brief graphic nudity, language throughout, some sexual references, and strong violence and gore.” That’s a lengthy list, so let’s dive into what we know about each.

This is a comic book film, and it’s a gory one at that. There’s extremely graphic violence with death, explosions, killings, many guns, torture, and monster violence. We won’t spoil the whole film, though, because violence is pretty much the entire point of The Suicide Squad — just know there’s a lot of it.

As for sex, cursing, and other adult-related stuff: there’s a sex scene, a bit of male and female nudity, and some sex-related dialogue, along with a real slew of cursing. There’s use of hard drugs, plenty of drinking as well as smoking.

With all this in mind, it’s safe to say that The Suicide Squad has earned its R rating. With a group of evil masterminds teaming up to save the world, what else would you expect?

Is The Suicide Squad for kids? Can teenagers watch The Suicide Squad?

According to Common Sense Media, a website that specializes in telling parents what movies are and aren’t for kids, The Suicide Squad is A-OK for kids aged 16 and up. That’s just a year below the MPAA’s R rating, which suggests folks aged 17 and up can view the content. As for children, The Suicide Squad seems kind of like a no-go — but it’s up to you!

Where is The Suicide Squad streaming? How to watch The Suicide Squad online:

The Suicide Squad is currently streaming on HBO Max, and will be until September 5. A subscription to HBO Max Ad-Free plan costs $14.99 a month, and you can use the service on your computer or devices including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Playstation 4, Samsung TV, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. You can also watch The Suicide Squad on the big screen.

Stream The Suicide Squad on HBO Max