The Deliverance parents guide: How scary and violent is the R-rated horror movie?

After serving as an executive producer on the BET+ supernatural horror film The Reading, Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels decided to dive into the horror genre himself with his latest film, The Deliverance. This supernatural horror movie, inspired by real-life events, has just been released on Netflix following a limited theatrical run.

The Deliverance was directed by Daniels, who co-wrote the screenplay with David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum. The story draws from the terrifying true experiences of Latoya Ammons, a single mother who claimed her family encountered a series of supernatural events in their home in Gary, Indiana.

In the film, we follow Ebony Jackson, a struggling single mother searching for a fresh start. Ebony relocates her family to a new home in Pittsburgh, hoping for a better life. However, soon after moving in, they begin to experience increasingly strange and demonic occurrences. These unsettling events lead Ebony to believe that something sinister resides in the house, and she must fight to protect her family from being destroyed by it.

Given that The Deliverance is a horror movie, you might be wondering about its age rating. Horror films often include intense scares, graphic violence, and disturbing content. So, what can you expect from The Deliverance?

The Deliverance on Netflix: Age Rating and Content Overview

The Deliverance is rated R, indicating it is not suitable for viewers under 17 years old without parental guidance. This rating is due to the film’s violent content, strong language, and some sexual references. Although there is smoking and drinking in the film, none of it involves children. While sexual references are present, there is no explicit sexual content shown. However, the film contains a substantial amount of profanity, including frequent use of strong language like “btch,” “mtherf*cker,” and “a**.”

In terms of gore, The Deliverance is relatively tame. There is only one particularly graphic scene in which a character is killed with an axe, resulting in blood splattering and a brief shot of a bloody head. Aside from this, the film minimizes the use of gore.

However, the movie does feature numerous violent scenes. For instance, there is a scene where a woman kicks a teenage boy between the legs, another where a character slaps someone hard, and a tense moment where a character attempts to drown another. Other examples include a character being thrown around a house by a mysterious force and a disturbing scene where a character’s body is contorted in an unnatural way.

As for the scare factor, The Deliverance might be unsettling for some viewers, especially those sensitive to themes of demonic possession. While the movie can be creepy, it’s more unsettling than truly terrifying. If you’re a horror aficionado, you might find it more eerie than frightening.

In comparison to other exorcism films like The Exorcist (1973), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), or The Conjuring (2013), The Deliverance is less intense in terms of sheer scare factor. If you’re looking for a film that will genuinely startle and disturb you, those classics might be more up your alley. However, if you’re intrigued by a new take on supernatural horror, The Deliverance offers a compelling and eerie experience.