| Overall: | B- |
|---|---|
| Violence: | C- |
| Sexual Content: | B- |
| Language: | C- |
| Drugs/Alcohol: | C+ |
| Run Time: | 133 |
| Theater Release: | |
| Video Release: | 22 Apr 2011 |
| MPAA Rating: | |
| See Canadian Ratings | |
| How We Determine Our Grades | |
Why Is The Way Back Rated PG-13?
Violence: Men in a Soviet-era prison utter threats and break into fights. One man is stabbed by another who wants his sweater so he may trade it for food. Men are threatened with guns and torture by prison guards. Men are depicted dying in a blizzard. Characters provide verbal descriptions of torture and death. Characters on a journey are often starving, exhausted or in desperate need of water—makeup effects create believable representations of their state. An animal carcass is rapidly consumed by starving people—blood is seen. Other animals are consumed for food.
Sexual Content: Drawn images of nude women are seen briefly on two occasions. A naked female figure is seen on a Christian cross. Men without shirts are shown.
Language: Two sexual expletives are seen in English subtitles—presumably the equivalent word is spoken in another language. Infrequent mild profanities and a crude anatomical term are heard.
Drugs/Alcohol: Some characters are seen smoking. A bottle of alcohol is consumed.
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About the Reviewer: Rod Gustafson
Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. He currently serves as the President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness, a provincial non-profit society. He also authors a regular column for The Parent's Television Council in Los Angeles. He and his wife Donna have four children.
