What age is Hush appropriate for?

Hush is rated R and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 17+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film includes a graphic scene of a naked woman screaming while tied up in a truck, a violent attack on an elderly couple at a farmhouse, extreme profanity (47 uses of f-words), and an overwhelming final chase sequence where a killer pursues Zakes and Beth.

Does Hush have swearing or bad language?

Hush has Extreme language. The f-word (fuck/fucking) is used extremely frequently — 47 times throughout the film

Hush has Extreme violence. A naked woman is shown screaming and tied up in the back of a truck, discovered by Zakes on the motorway — a disturbing, graphic image early in the film

Is Hush scary for children?

Hush has Extreme scary scenes. The initial sighting of the naked woman screaming in the truck bed is deeply disturbing and sets an unsettling tone from the start

Is Hush OK for Kids?

Name: Hush
Director: Mike Flanagan
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Released: 2016
Duration: 82 min
Cast: John Gallagher Jr., Kate Siegel, Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan, Emma Graves

HorrorThriller

17+

R⭐ IMDb 6.6 / 102016 · 1h 22m

Mike Flanagan● Script verified

Where to Watch

United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

A naked woman is shown screaming and tied up in the back of a truck, discovered by Zakes on the motorway — a disturbing, graphic image early in the film
The killer violently attacks an elderly couple, John and Dottie, at the farmhouse where Zakes seeks help
Zakes is beaten by security guards in a garage bathroom, and later physically fights a police officer in a restroom after being wrongly arrested
A girl held in the truck is explicitly threatened with death by the killer, and the killer is shown pursuing victims multiple times with clear lethal intent
Zakes cuts his hand on a nail while trying to escape; the final confrontation involves Zakes physically fighting the killer to save Beth
No weapons like guns are specified, but the violence is intense and thriller-style throughout, focused on pursuit, threat, and physical struggle rather than graphic gore

💬Language

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

The f-word (f**k/f**king) is used extremely frequently — 47 times throughout the film
'S**t' is used 24 times, and 'da**/godda**' 8 times
Other strong language includes 'b**tard' (2), 'pr**k' (3), 'cock' (2), 'arse' (1), and 'c**t' (1)
This is pervasive, adult-level profanity used throughout the film, not isolated to one scene

👻Scary Scenes

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

The initial sighting of the naked woman screaming in the truck bed is deeply disturbing and sets an unsettling tone from the start
Beth's sudden disappearance at the service station with no explanation creates sustained dread and confusion
The killer's sudden, violent attack on the elderly couple John and Dottie is genuinely frightening and unexpected
The final confrontation sequence, where the killer pursues Zakes and Beth, is described as overwhelming in intensity
There are multiple startling jump scares as the killer appears unexpectedly, and extended scenes of being hunted in the dark, isolated farm setting
Scary content is resolved through Zakes's direct physical confrontation with the killer at the end, but tension is sustained for much of the film

💕Romance

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

The core relationship arc follows Zakes and Beth's deteriorating relationship throughout the film, including an argument about moving in together and general relationship troubles
There are references to a man named Leo that imply Beth may have been unfaithful, though this is only suggestive, not shown
No kissing, dating scenes, or sexual content are depicted — the romance is centered on relationship conflict rather than affection

🍺Substances

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

There are casual references to getting 'tanked up' at a football match, mentioned in dialogue only
Coffee is consumed at the service station, a minor and incidental detail
No drug use or on-screen drinking is shown; substance references are brief and not glorified

⚡Stimulation

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

A high-speed car chase on the motorway is intense in pacing and sensory impact
An extended cat-and-mouse pursuit through dark countryside builds sustained tension
Scenes of Zakes being arrested and suspected of murder add to the intensity of the plot
The final escape sequence from the killer at the farm is described as overwhelming, likely too much for sensory-sensitive viewers
Overall pacing is tense and thriller-driven rather than fast-cut action, but sustained dread makes it unsuitable for younger or sensitive viewers

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Hush — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being marketed as a thriller, parents should be aware the film opens with a genuinely graphic and disturbing image — a naked woman screaming while tied up in a truck bed — which sets a much darker and more mature tone than the plot description might suggest.

About Hush

Hush is a tense thriller about Zakes, who spots a terrified naked woman screaming and tied up in the back of a truck on the motorway, and becomes drawn into a nightmare when his girlfriend Beth vanishes at a service station shortly after. As Zakes is wrongly arrested and a killer stalks his victims across an isolated farm, the film builds into an intense chase to save Beth before it's too late. The tone is dark, suspenseful, and frequently disturbing.

⚠️

Watch with your child

With 47 uses of extreme profanity, graphic disturbing imagery like the naked woman in the truck and the attack on the elderly couple, and an overwhelming final chase sequence, this film requires a parent present for any viewer under 17 to help process the intensity and disturbing content.

Family Takeaways from Hush

What it gets right

✓The film shows Zakes never giving up on Beth, even after being wrongly arrested and suspected of murder, modeling persistence and loyalty
✓The young girl who escapes the truck still finds the courage to help Zakes despite her own trauma, showing resilience