Research Into Film Classification

There are many different factors that go into deciding what age certificate to give a particular film. For example, the amount of violence, crude language, drink and drugs references and erotic scenes are contained within the film. 

For example, a film will be classed as a '12' rather than a 'PG' if it contains things that may upset children, such as discrimination, infrequent use of drugs, moderate horror, imitable behaviour (although, easily accessable weapons should not be glamourised), moderate language, nudity (but sexual context must be infrequent), brief, infrequent sexual activity, and moderate violence. Films such as Batman are a 12.

A film will be classed as a '15' if the language content is more frequent, more violence, more horror, more frequent sexual content, drugs, more nudity with a more sexual context, more imitable behaviour, and more discrimination. Memento is a 15 rated film.

Certificate '18' films are only directed at adults, and they fit into this category because, the language content is more prominant, there is more sexual and violence context, discrimination is a lot more offensive, drugs are used a lot more, horror is more frightening, offensive language, imitable behaviour, nudity is mostly seen in a sexual way, sex is much more prominant, violence is a lot more realistic, etc. Se7en is an 18 rated film.