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Last Updated: Wednesday July 30 2008 15:59 GMT

Is new Batman film too scary?

Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight

The latest Batman film, The Dark Knight, is a big hit at cinemas, but it's got lots of people worried that it's too scary for you to watch.

The Dark Knight has a 12A rating, which means if you're under the age of 12 you can only watch it with an adult.

But some people think its dark story and violent characters, like The Joker, are too frightening for children.

Even the people who rated the film say parents should think carefully before letting you see it.

Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight
Heath ledger plays baddie, The Joker
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) had the tough job of deciding what rating the film should have.

Sue Clark from BBFC said: "The categories are quite broad, so at the bottom end of a 12A it's just stronger than a PG, so by definition when you get to the top end it will almost be a 15 rating.

"I would say to everybody that this is almost a 15 film - but not quite."