Hostiles (2017) Parents Guide: Is the movie OK for kids?

Bontent's parent guide suggests Hostiles is best for ages 17+. It's rated R. Hostiles is a gritty, somber Western that follows Captain Joseph Blocker as he escorts a dying Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory in 1892. The film earns its R-rating primarily through visceral…

Hostiles is officially rated R. Bontent's independent parent guide recommends it for ages 17+.

Hostiles is a gritty, somber Western that follows Captain Joseph Blocker as he escorts a dying Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory in 1892. The film earns its R-rating primarily through visceral, graphic violence, including the brutal killing of a family and multiple intense shootouts. Parents…

Sexual violence is a plot point, with the kidnapping and off-screen rape of three women described and alluded to by the characters. There is no on-screen nudity or explicit sexual activity.

The film features severe and graphic violence, including the brutal opening massacre of a settler family, scalping, and intense gunfights with visible blood and gore. Victims are shot at close range, and the aftermath of battles frequently shows piles of…

Profanity is frequent, including roughly ten uses of the 'f-word' and various other terms such as 'bastard,' 'bitch,' and 'shit.' Derogatory racial slurs are also used periodically throughout the film.

Characters are occasionally seen smoking tobacco, which is consistent with the late 19th-century setting.

The narrative is deeply preoccupied with themes of cycles of violence, grief, PTSD, genocide, and suicide. Characters grapple with the weight of their past actions in war and the psychological fallout of institutionalized cruelty.

Hostiles runs 134 minutes, directed by Scott Cooper, released in 2017.

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