An 18 rating means a film contains very strong violence, language, sexual content or themes that are not suitable for those under 18. A 15 rating means a film can include strong violence, language, sexual scenes or themes but they cannot be graphic or endorse discriminatory behavior. Psychological thriller films generally receive 12-18 ratings as they explore mature themes but tend to focus on 15 ratings to target teenage cinema audiences and maximize ticket sales.

1. Audience Research
18 Rated:
A movie that is rated 18 cannot be bought/rented or view in the cinema by
anyone under the age of 18. Content usual includes: very strong violence,
frequency strong language, strong portrayals of sexual activity, scenes of
sexual violence, strong horror, strong blood and gore, real sex (in some
circumstances) and discriminatory language and behavior. Strong language is
often of frequent use in an 18 and can be accompanied by strong violence.
Within the movie they must not breach any relevant legislations but there may
be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language at 18, and the work
could explore themes relating to this. An 18 film or DVD might also contain
depictions of real sex if it is justified by context, as long as the film or DVD is
not a sex work. Sex work is basically porn, containing clear images of real
sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images, or other very
strong sexual images will be confined to the R18 category. containing clear
images of real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images,
or other very strong sexual images will be confined to the R18 category.
15 Rated:
A movie that is rated 15 cannot be purchased/rented or view in the cinema by
anyone under the age of 15. 15 works are stronger than a 12 rated movie and
can include: strong violence, frequent strong language, portrayals of sexual
activity, sexual nudity, strong verbal references to sex, brief scenes of sexual
violence or verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory language or
behavior and drug taking. There may be racist, homophobic or other
discriminatory language, and the work could explore themes relating to this.
However, at 15 the work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory
language or behavior. At 15 sexual activity can be portrayed, as long as there
is no strong or graphic detail. Though nudity may be allowed in a sexual
context there should be no strong detail. Heterosexual and homosexual sex
and sex references are treated the same. Violence may be strong but should
not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury, however, and the strongest gory
images are unlikely to be acceptable.

2. Fight Club: 18, contains strong bloody violence
Black Swan: 15, contains strong sex, language and bloody
images
Se7en: 18: contains strong bloody violence, horror and
threat
Silence of the Lambs: 18: contains very strong language and
strong violence and horror
The movies mentioned above are all psychological thrillers
that have ratings on the BBFC. The image below is the
rating system on the website of the BBFC showing what
each rating entails. It is clear, from looking at the profiles of
the top 100 psychological thrillers, that they whole
psychological thriller genre is focused between the ratings
of 12 and 18.
The highest grossing movie genre of the 2000’s was the
comedy genre. Comedy, as a movie genre, appeals to a
much wider audience than thriller does because thrillers
tend to be for older audiences, whereas comedies can be suitable for the entire
family. When looking at the table below it has been made clear that the top 15
thriller movies that have been released are rated a 15. Film companies have
targeted the age range that go to the cinema most, teenagers. Only one film, in
the middle section of the able below was rated an 18. Rating a movie an 18
completely rules out the possibility for high ticket sales because cinemas get
more ticket sales through those aged between the ages of 13 and 18.