Movie · Superhero, Action, Thriller · 2014 · PG-13

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: parents' guide

12+our pick

Best for ages 12 and up. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, gunplay and action throughout.

A tense spy thriller in superhero clothing that suits tweens and teens who can handle more realistic violence than most Marvel films. Gunfights, car chases and brutal hand-to-hand fights fill the movie, with more shooting deaths and a bit more blood than the first Captain America, including innocent workers gunned down and a key ally who is gravely wounded. Language includes a couple of s-words. Romance is limited to one kiss used as a cover, and drinking to champagne at a meeting. The heavier gunplay is why we'd start at 12.

What's in it

Violence

Moderate

Near-constant shootouts, knife fights and shield strikes, with many henchmen killed. Cap is shot, stabbed and battered in one punishing fight; innocent cleaning staff are gunned down, and people are electrocuted, burned or crushed. Some blood, nothing gory.

Language

Moderate

Two s-words, one of them partly drowned out by battle noise, plus one to three uses each of ass, bitch, damn and hell, a son of a bitch, and a couple of misuses of God's name. No f-words.

Sex and nudity

Mild

Black Widow kisses Cap in a mall to fool pursuers, then teases him about it and keeps suggesting women he could date. A politician makes a leering remark about a young reporter. No nudity.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Mild

Guests at a high-level meeting are offered champagne, and one man smashes his glass rather than drink. An injured man injects himself with medication after a crash. No drunkenness, smoking or recreational drugs.

Scary or intense scenes

Moderate

A long ambush leaves a key ally fighting for his life in an operating room, and the masked assassin is relentless. Cap visits his elderly former love, who is losing her memory, a quiet but sad scene.

Worth talking about

The villains' plan is to stop threats before they happen by watching everyone. Is giving up privacy for safety ever worth it, and who decides?

Where to stream →

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, childrenandmedia.org.au. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.