And I agree, the ending could have pushed that movie into the torture-porn arena, and they handled it perfectly. In fact I found it more disturbing the way they did it, without making me sick or forcing me to turn it off.

The movies in the torture-porn category have no such restraint or creativity. To me they are all cookie-cutter clones of each other and the creators of such films make me think they are all just trying to out-gross each other. I'll pass…….

The earlier battle scenes, which I know you're referring to are not gore, in my opinion, just like Holy Grail wasn't gorey, nor was Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down or other films which show violence or blood in an appropriate and discriminating way. They don't push our faces in it, like a cruel owner to his dog who just ruined the rug. They show us enough, only. Sure, they can do without it, but sometimes it's needed. And when it gets sadistic, then, I turn away. I won't be involved in it at all. Not my soul, not my brain, not my money. My choice. For others, go to it. Eat it up, if that turns ya on. But there is a price that will be paid sooner or later.

Personal story: When one of my sons was young, a friend brought over what we considered unacceptable CDs for an overnight visit. He knew that we kept an eye on what our son was listening to at home and that what he was bringing was not allowed. So, we simply "borrowed them" for the visit and gave them back before his mom came to pick him up. She had a hissy fit and refused to allow him to come to our home anymore.

Of course, as an adult, he has brought his own family here many times. Today, our son is a psychologist, engaged to another professional, and his friend, with two ex-wives and a daughter without his name, is living at home without employment.

I know there are myriad people out of work these days through no fault of their own. I also know that many responsible adults are forced to return home through no fault of their own. I'm simply relating a true story.

Go to The Cinemated Man. You won't be disappointed. Trust me.

http://cinematedman.com

Also humor and violence coupled reduce the impact. That's obvious, I think. But it might not be too obvious to many that humor, proven in studies, lowers a 'moral threshold' of acceptable behavior. So, for example, if humor is introduced, even in the most remote way, say, with a very short 'peppy' music bit, into a filmed rape scene, that rape scene can be watched by those who previously would turn away.