For any number of reasons, there have been films of every genre that have found difficulty in securing release across the globe. In fact, sometimes, a film is banned in parts of the United States. A common reason, like with certain areas overseas, is that there are people in the States who just can't handle homosexuality.
So, instead of expanding people's minds to those who are not quite like them, art (and voices) are restricted, even silenced. This includes films of the action genre, which is ironic because, at least in the states, a film like The Expendables 3 can get away with having over 100 people shot to death with a PG-13 rating. But toss in some sexuality and they quickly become taboo. The following 10 action films have been banned in corners of the world for various reasons, and some of them may prove surprising.
10 Ben-Hur (1959)
Ben-Hur
- Release Date
- November 18, 1959
- Director
- William Wyler
- Cast
- Charlton Heston , Jack Hawkins , Haya Harareet , Stephen Boyd , Hugh Griffith , Martha Scott
- Rating
- G
Forget the overly-glossy and soulless remake, because the original Ben-Hur got it right. An epic if ever there was one, it's no small compliment to call Judah Ben-Hur the most compelling character Charlton Heston ever played. But there were manyareas where the film was met with resistance.
Banned Because of One Actress
Ben-Hur was banned in all Arab League states (including Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates) solely because actress Haya Harareet was Israeli. In other words, there was as much hate working its way through society then as there is now.
Rent Ben-Hur on Amazon
9 Red Dawn (1984)
The first movie to ever be rated PG-13, Red Dawn made history, and some money, too. The narrative follows some likable teens as they fight off the Soviets from taking over their home state of Colorado.
Not Well Received in Cuba
Red Dawn was banned in Cuba for, unsurprisingly, not exactly portraying Cubans in the most positive light. Why? Because it's not just the Soviets who invade U.S. shores, but Cuban and Nicaraguan troops as well.
Stream Red Dawn on Max
8 GoldenEye (1995)
GoldenEye
- Release Date
- November 16, 1995
- Rating
- PG-13
Martin Campbell's 007 reboot GoldenEye changed the James Bond franchise forever, and it wouldn't even be the last time he did so (with another reboot much less). But, even though Casino Royale is superior, there's still much merit to GoldenEye, the undisputed apex of Pierce Brosnan's Bond tenure.
Soviets Can Be a Touchy Subject
GoldenEye was banned in Cuba for the simple reason that it portrayed Soviets (regardless of context, not that the context in GoldenEye was positive in their regard). What's odd, however, is that GoldenEye is the only Bond film with Soviet villains to be banned overseas. Not Octopussy, not The Living Daylights, not even From Russia with Love.
Stream GoldenEye on Prime Video
7 The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The Matrix Reloaded
- Release Date
- May 15, 2003
- Cast
- Ray Anthony , Christine Anu , Andy Arness , Alima Ashton-Sheibu , Helmut Bakaitis , Steve Bastoni
- Rating
- R
While The Matrix Reloaded played well throughout most of the world (especially during its first few days), it wasn't allowed everywhere. And the reason wasn't for the usual (sexual or gender-based) reasoning.
Banned for Themes of Religion
The Matrix Reloaded was and still is banned in Egypt due to its level of violence and religious themes. The former point is interesting, as it's not as if Reloaded is any more violent than the first film. However, the religious aspect makes sense, as Reloaded spends much time pondering the meaning of life, even if done through a sci-fi action lense.
Stream The Matrix Reloaded on Hulu
6 The Kingdom (2007)
Peter Berg's The Kingdom was one of the director's earliest forays into war film territory, and while it's not quite as solid as Lone Survivor, it's an intense experience nonetheless. It also features dynamite performances from Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner.
A Dispute Over Accuracy
Berg's film was banned in Bahrain and Kuwait for one sequence and one sequence only: there was a view that the film's take on the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia wasn't accurate. It's understandable, one never knows who around the globe is watching these movies, and sometimes they show real-world stuff in a way that can be upsetting (both in terms of realism and the opposite, inaccuracy).
Rent The Kingdom on Apple TV
5 The Dark Knight (2008)
Considered by many to be Christopher Nolan's magnum opus, and certainly the best superhero film ever made, The Dark Knight is compelling from front to back. And, for quite some time, it had absolutely no difficulty playing in theaters (or on home screens).
Banned 14 Years After Release
The film was banned in the special administrative region in China known as Hong Kong (not China as a whole), which didn't take too kindly to the films' scenes set in the city. But, that didn't happen until a whopping 14 years after the film had already debuted. Meaning, it had already been available for nearly a decade and a half... making audiences wonder just what was the point.
Stream The Dark Knight on Max
4 Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
An overall mean-spirited movie and far inferior to its predecessor, Kingsman: The Golden Circle was packed with action, but missing all of the class and style that made the first film so enjoyable. It also managed to run into trouble in one specific corner of the world.
Not Wanting to Be Associated With the Villain
To put it simply, Kingsman: The Golden Circle was banned in Cambodia because it had the villainous Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore) set up camp in the country. It's a little bit of an overreaction (it's not as if the land in Cambodia reaches up and slaughters an innocent), but there's also logic in a country not wanting to be associated at all with villainy, especially if that's all it's going to be associated with.
Stream Kingsman: The Golden Circle on DIRECTV
3 Eternals (2021)
Eternals
- Release Date
- November 5, 2021
- Rating
- PG-13
Chloé Zhao's Eternals was an ambitious effort, but it ended up being one of the early signs that there were cracks growing in the MCU's hull. And yet, at least it had a surplus of ambition and a decent twist in the third act, making it ultimately an underrated film.
Banned for Sexual Orientation
Zhao's MCU film was banned in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for one reason: Brian Tyree Henry's character of Phastos. Specifically, Phastos' marriage to another man. As it remains in some parts of the world (not to mention corners of America), being gay is deemed an act of evil.
Stream Eternals on Disney+
2 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
While Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was one of the best MCU additions of Phase Four, her existence caused a lot of trouble — simply because of who she is.
Also Banned for Sexual Orientation
Like with Eternals, the issue that Multiverse of Madness faced had to do with homosexuality and much of the world's seeming inability to get with the times. Specifically, it was because America Chavez is a lesbian, and the result was the film being banned in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Stream Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on Disney+
1 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
It may be 2023's best superhero movie by a country mile, but Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse still had trouble securing release across the globe. Why? Because there are a few frames with a transgender flag.
Banned for Just a Few Frames
For this, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse could not generate revenue in Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It was unfortunate for both the studio and those across the globe who wanted to see it, but it's better to be banned for something like inclusion than to be included for exclusion.
Stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix
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