The Equalizer

[FilmFanSam]

PRE-ORDER NOW: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Equalize...A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

How does this one compare to one of my favourite Denzel films, Man on Fire?

[sapphire_nick]

I have read great things about this film and just pre-ordered. I also heard that the UK version may have been censored.

Can anyone confirm either way?

[levcore]

As far as i know (someone please correct me if i am wrong) The Equalizer is cut in the UK and will be cut on BD in the UK. I'm expecting I have to import but am waiting for absolute confirmation. I already cancelled my Zavvi Steelbook.

[Blu MacReady]

^^^

Any update/confirmation on this. I really would like to order this and the US to UK price is like £2. I'd pay £2 more to import the proper uncut version. Don't need nanny to tell me what I can/can't watch in 2015.

[Buzz201]

It was pre-cut after an advice screening by the BBFC, there won't be confirmation that as to whether the BBFC cut was used worldwide (like Pompeii and Hercules*) until the UK BD is released. I'd be careful about trusting Movie Censorship until they post a report/confirmation it hasn't been cut, as they were caught out by both Pompeii and Hercules, claiming they were cut for several months and blocking posters that asked for proof.


*The UK cut version was used as the theatrical cut worldwide, the extended version was however left off the UK release.

[sapphire_nick]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

^^^

Any update/confirmation on this. I really would like to order this and the US to UK price is like £2. I'd pay £2 more to import the proper uncut version. Don't need nanny to tell me what I can/can't watch in 2015.

Do we know that the USA version is definitely uncut? If so I will just import it!

[Voltaire53]

Originally Posted by sapphire_nick

Do we know that the USA version is definitely uncut? If so I will just import it!

I can't definitely confirm BUT Rewind (DVDcompare.net) says the US release is Uncut and they are usually accurate... plus the BBFC have the UK film/BD runtime as 131m 34s and Rewind says the US BD is 132m 02s... but don't forget the US release is Region A locked so you'll need a multi-region player (which I don't have -... hopefully another Region B country will/has released the uncut version); this is getting very annoying what with this, Taken 3, Walk Among the Tombstones and Kingsman all being hit by pre-Cuts to make 15 in the UK

[Blu MacReady]

Think it's just worth avoiding nanny state for blu rays and import. US to UK for New release is no big difference pricewise. If you can wait about a month the drop to $15-18 with post on two titles it's £28. So you're paying £1 extra per title but getting a full movie

BBFC is pathetic and out of date, things like a headbutt or nunchucks cannot be viewed between 15-18 yrs old? Or something just as similar. Please can they at least once a year meet that age group or at least look across the rest of the EU and see how Germany, Netherlands, Italy are coping just fine with an uncut action film.

[Buzz201]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

Think it's just worth avoiding nanny state for blu rays and import. US to UK for New release is no big difference pricewise. If you can wait about a month the drop to $15-18 with post on two titles it's £28. So you're paying £1 extra per title but getting a full movie

BBFC is pathetic and out of date, things like a headbutt or nunchucks cannot be viewed between 15-18 yrs old? Or something just as similar. Please can they at least once a year meet that age group or at least look across the rest of the EU and see how Germany, Netherlands, Italy are coping just fine with an uncut action film.

Calm down with this nanny state bullshit, the BBFC would have given it an uncut certificate at 18, the distributor chose not to accept that. Anyway, a pan-European classification system was suggested, but torpedoed because different things cause issues in different countries, for example discrimination is not tolerated in German media, but it's less of an issue here. (Apparently the German video games board gave Little Britain: The Video Game an 18, because of a joke about being "the only gay in the village", it was passed at a 12 in the UK.) Germany weirdly also, tends to be equally as harsh, if not more harsh, on fantasy violence than regular vioence. But in the UK fantasticality would be considered a mitigating factor.

One would note that one of the LOTR films is a PG in the UK, but a 16 in Germany, as is Star Trek: TOS...

There is no ideal classification system for all over the world, and comparing them is just silly...

[Dubliner1]

...Cut or Uncut I thought this film was very average- nowhere near any of Denzils best works. Just my 2 cents.

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by Buzz201

the BBFC would have given it an uncut certificate at 18, the distributor chose not to accept that. ...

And what was the massive difference between 15 and 18uncut that nanny didn't want 16-17 yr olds to see? A flick knife? A harsh word maybe? What is cut from 18 to 15 that 16-17 yr old British people can't cope with?

When you see programmes like The Following or Walking Dead in all their glory...on Television...you wonder if nanny BBFC expects 17yr olds in the UK to be tucked up in bed at 8pm, when they look at watch they can watch on film.

[Dubliner1]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

And what was the massive difference between 15 and 18uncut that nanny didn't want 16-17 yr olds to see? A flick knife? A harsh word maybe? What is cut from 18 to 15 that 16-17 yr old British people can't cope with?

When you see programmes like The Following or Walking Dead in all their glory...on Television...you wonder if nanny BBFC expects 17yr olds in the UK to be tucked up in bed at 8pm, when they look at watch they can watch on film.

It's hard to figure out the whole ratings thing...don't forget there are some blurays released in the US that have more cuts than the UK version.
If you have a region 'A' and 'B' player it's great to have the choice

[levcore]

So all i need is an uncut Region B friendly release. I'm hoping perhaps Germany, France or Italy.

[Buzz201]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

And what was the massive difference between 15 and 18uncut that nanny didn't want 16-17 yr olds to see? A flick knife? A harsh word maybe? What is cut from 18 to 15 that 16-17 yr old British people can't cope with?

When you see programmes like The Following or Walking Dead in all their glory...on Television...you wonder if nanny BBFC expects 17yr olds in the UK to be tucked up in bed at 8pm, when they look at watch they can watch on film.

Jesus christ, maybe instead of being a smartarse, you could ****ing google it...

This work was originally seen for advice. The company was advised that the film was likely to receive an 18 certificate but that their preferred 15 classification could be achieved by making cuts to reduce the violence in two scenes. When the finished version of the film was submitted for formal classification, edits had been made to reduce sequences of violence, including detail of a stabbing with a corkscrew and a garroting. The formal submission was consequently rated 15.

Hey what do you know? Two easily imitable violent acts, one of which is highly sadistic, and the other could be sadistic depending on how it was shown...

The Following is a 15, as is much of The Walking Dead. The Walking Dead rarely pushes the 18 line, but the way they've been submitted most episodes are labelled as it.

And as it happens, I do think most 18s would be perfectly fine at a 15, but people (especially conservative types) are whiny and love complaining, so the BBFC has to err on the side of caution or there'd be a shitstorm about how the BBFC were corrupting children and the sky is falling, like there has been in the past...

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by Dubliner1

It's hard to figure out the whole ratings thing...don't forget there are some blurays released in the US that have more cuts than the UK version.
If you have a region 'A' and 'B' player it's great to have the choice

Oh yeah had one for a while seeing the very poor state of the back catalogue of 70s/80s/90s films the UK gets.

Just amazes me in 2015 some old fart still thinks a 17 yr old brit can't cope with seeing a headbutt on film, or a nunchuck. The same 17 yr old who can rent a property, get married, have kids and drive them around in their own car. But can't cope with a few harsh swear words.

BBFC, Just pathetic and out of date.

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by Buzz201

Jesus christ, maybe instead of being a smartarse, you could ****ing google it...



Hey what do you know? Two easily imitable violent acts...

The Following is a 15, as is much of The Walking Dead. The Walking Dead rarely pushes the 18 line, but the way they've been submitted most episodes are labelled as it.

So the BBFC think today a 16 or 17 yr old Brit can't cope with a corkscrew stabbing?

Fine if you want to champion their efforts in cutting films in 2015 when television, access any age group can see, is nowadays just as bloody and violent using those two programs as clear examples.

[Buzz201]

Originally Posted by Blu MacReady

So the BBFC think today a 16 or 17 yr old Brit can't cope with a corkscrew stabbing?

Fine if you want to champion their efforts in cutting films in 2015 when television, access any age group can see, is nowadays just as bloody and violent using those two programs as clear examples.

It very much depends on how it's portrayed, violence can be disturbing without being detailed, and violence can be detailed without being disturbing. Neither of us has seen the film, so maybe we shouldn't comment...

They have a very difficult job, the government certainly won't ever get rid of them, so it's either the BBFC or somebody else. I'm certain if it was somebody else, it would probably be somebody worse...

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by Buzz201

It very much depends on how it's portrayed, violence can be disturbing without being detailed, and violence can be detailed without being disturbing. Neither of us has seen the film, so maybe we shouldn't comment...

They have a very difficult job, the government certainly won't ever get rid of them, so it's either the BBFC or somebody else. I'm certain if it was somebody else, it would probably be somebody worse...

Yeah I've not seen it. I'm going to hazard a guess people are killed in this film by being shot, stabbed, beaten and run over by at least a car. None of which in a friendly way. But a corkscrew, well....

I'll import. I won't need to wonder why stores like HMV struggle and keep reducing the blu ray shelves, cause there's no point buying these sort of films in the UK. Thanks BBFC you've cost me an extra £1, again.

[levcore]

I thought it was established that opting for the lower certificate and cutting the film was the distributors decision though? The BBFC only advise, surely we should level our frustration at the distributor.

[Blu MacReady]

Originally Posted by levcore

I thought it was established that opting for the lower certificate and cutting the film was the distributors decision though? The BBFC only advise, surely we should level our frustration at the distributor.

But the BBFC could have allowed the two scenes, then there is no decision for the distributor to make.