What is Knowing rated, and is it OK for kids?

For teens, mostly: it is rated PG-13, with some strong language, strong violence and several jump scares.

Knowing (2009)

Film · 2h 1m · Rated PG-13

Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

A father deciphers chilling predictions while a suspenseful, epic mystery unfolds around his family.

Melancholy. A full-attention watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it is heavy.

Streaming on Kanopy (free), Hoopla (free) and Tubi (free).

Five more like this Get the app

Knowing parents guide

No sex or nudity and some strong language, about what a PG-13 should carry.

Our estimate: fine from about 13. Rated PG-13.

Scare: Mildly scary; A few tense or eerie moments.
Jump scares: Several; More than a couple of sudden jolts.
Gore: Light gore; Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence: Strong violence; Violence is frequent or intense.
Sex and nudity: None noted
Language: Moderate; Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Knowing scary?: Only a little. Knowing has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.
How gory is Knowing?: Light gore and strong violence.
What is Knowing rated, and is it OK for kids?: For teens, mostly: it is rated PG-13, with some strong language, strong violence and several jump scares.

What is Knowing about?

A teacher opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some that have already occurred and others that are about to -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

It leaves the ending open to interpretation.