'Lincoln': 3 points for parents

Violence: The film opens with a graphic battle scene. Men are fighting hand-to-hand combat in the mud with swords and bayonets. It is a desperate scene with many people dying at the hands of their fellow countrymen. Many different means are used to dispatch an enemy.

Gore: There are scenes of numerous bodies on a battlefield. Lincoln is riding through touring the scene. One scene portrays the disposal of amputations from a medical facility.

Language: Emotions run high in many scenes and so there are moments where some profanity is used. There are also times when racial slurs are used.

"Lincoln" is a wonderful film from Steven Spielberg with magnificent performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones. The film deals with some harsh topics, including war. The message, though, does not get lost in the story, and as such this film could be good for a younger audience to see. Parents will need to decide if their 13-year-olds should see this film. It is a good starter for a discussion on the issue of fairness. Some of the content is better suited for older audiences, but parents can decide.

Shawn O'Neill is the Family Man Movie Reviewer on BYU Radio. His reviews can be heard on youtube.com/byuradio and on SiriusXM channel 143.