Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that The Water Diviner is a World War I-era drama that doesn't shy away from the tragic cost of war, showing how soldiers and their families are affected physically, mentally, and emotionally -- that is, if they're lucky enough to stay alive. Though one of the main characters is a young boy, the film is better suited for teens and older, given the intense subject (many graphic war/battle/fighting scenes, plus themes including suicide, widowhood, and complex geopolitical issues). Expect some swearing ("bastard," "s--t," etc.), mild flirting, drinking, era-accurate smoking, and many scenes showing men shot and killed, with their limbs torn off and faces mangled.
Sexual
Content
A man and a woman flirt. Hints that a woman is a prostitute; a man, presumably a client, waits outside her door. A group of soldiers bathes in the sea; some are seen from behind, nude.
Violence
Many graphic battle sequences (it's set during/after World War I). Men are shot with machine guns and blown up by bombs. Intense hand-to-hand combat scenes show people desperately fighting each other with anything at hand. Dead bodies are shown on the battlefield, including close-ups of people with limbs blown off and faces completely mangled by shrapnel and bullets.
Language
Occasional strong language includes "bastard," "bugger," "ass," and "s--t."
Social
Behavior
Relentless persistence is eventually rewarded. The many serious costs of war are examined. Other themes include loss, grief, and geopolitical issues.
Consumerism
Not applicable
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Characters drink hard liquor in several scenes. At one point, a group of men shares drinks and then begins boisterously singing and dancing. Some smoking (accurate for the era).
