I really don't understand this story, why have the French banned Saw III (review) from Minors? Are there no film restrictions over there and cinemas allow ten year olds in to watch 18-rated films?

The story from The Guardian says:

The French culture minister sat through a screening of horror flick "Saw III" - and wasn't happy with what he saw. Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres announced in a statement Tuesday that he would prohibit minors under 18 from seeing the film, which opens this week in France.

The minister said the movie exhibited "violence and intolerable, incessant sadism." The scenes explicitly showing "physical and moral torture" justified the decision, he said.

Strange that this is such a story since it is also rated 18 in Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Ireland, UK, Finland, Norway, Canada, Portugal, and Singapore have it as an R21 with USA giving it an R.

Hostel (review) and The Hills Have Eyes (review) were both 16 rated in France, yes, 16. I fail to see why Saw III is that much harder from seeing someone raped and then shot in the head.

Surely there's no need to ban people under the age of 18 from a film that's rated 18, it would be illegal anyway to let anyone in that's under 18. Is the Minister going to stand there and stop them going in himself? I just don't get this. Great publicity for the film though!