The Gods Must Be Crazy

Why Is The Gods Must Be Crazy Rated PG?

Overall: B+

When a littering pilot throws a soda pop bottle out his plane’s window and into the Kalahari Dessert below, he sets off a chain of evens that will bring the lives of an African Bushman, a research scientist, a volunteer schoolteacher and a political terrorist into collision. This quirky tale captures the clashing cultures of the people inhabiting the great continent with both humor and sympathy.

Violence: C

All the violence in this film is portrayed comically including: wildlife encounters like charging lions and rhinos, several characters hit by a soda pop bottle, a group of armed terrorists who break into a government meeting where they wound and kill several officials—armed guards return fire (some blood is shown), shootouts using automatic weapons, tanks and bazookas, a helicopter and a couple of jeeps that explode, an interrogated prisoner whose life is threatened, an armed robbery, a character unfamiliar with guns innocently pointing one at another character, an armored car crashing into a shed, a fleeing character shot in the thigh, armed men taking a group of students and their teacher hostage—gunfire is exchanged between captors, police and prisoners, a vehicle that is driven recklessly. Depicted sympathetically: two animals are killed (by arrows) for food.

Sexual Content: B

Bushmen are shown in native garb, which includes bare-cheek revealing loincloths and topless females (all in a non-sexual context). A character wears overall with a tear in the backside that reveals his underwear. After a male and female character fall into a river, the woman’s dress becomes fairly see-through. When removing their wet clothes (in separate parts of the forest) two characters are seen in just their underwear. When the changing female gets stuck in a thorn tree, the male character awkwardly tries to help her get free. A man’s attempts to protect a woman are mistaken for advances. A stumbling man tries to stand up, but gets his head caught under a woman’s skirt. A couple kisses.

Language: C

At Least: 24 mild and 5 moderate profanities (some others are implied, but uttered in foreign languages), 2 instances of name-calling, and 3 terms of deity used as expletives, as well as the name “Anti-Christ” being given to a problem-riddled vehicle.

Alcohol / Drug Use: B

Arrows are dipped in poison or sleep-inducing drug before being used. An elephant is given an injection. Two characters smoke pipes, and cigarette smoking is seen a couple of times. An Alcoholic drink is served.

Miscellaneous Concerns:

A mother is shown nursing her baby.