“Four years old is a little young to see this whole movie,” Ben Affleck told the Associated Press a few weeks ago. When asked whether he would take his son to see “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” Affleck explained: “I don’t want him to have nightmares.”

Indeed, one blogger lists “7 Reasons Why You Should NOT Take Your Kids to See Batman v Superman,” including foul language and brutal violence.

But it is not just these violent superhero movies — really intended for adults — that parents might want to think twice about. It’s the entire moviegoing experience. Over the course of the past few decades, thanks to some amazing technology, going to the movies has become a much more intense experience. The screens have gotten bigger, the volume has gotten louder, the graphics have become much more realistic.

Common Sense Media rates movies in terms of violence, sexual content, foul language and even “consumerism,” but few adults seem to take into consideration that even the most innocent cartoons can make the hearts of kids beat faster. I noticed this first when I took my oldest daughter to see “Tangled,” the Disney remake of Rapunzel in the theater several years ago. All of the sudden in the middle of a scene when a group of men were riding on horseback, she screamed and sent her popcorn flying across the floor. Just the quick movement of the hooves along with some suspenseful music was enough to send her over the edge.

Parents regularly tell me, almost embarrassedly, that even at the age of 7 or 8, their kids don’t really like to go to the movies. “Is that odd?” one mother asked me. Some think it’s because their children haven’t been exposed to a lot of other media or that they have been sheltered from scary stories — who reads their kids Hansel and Gretel anymore? But more likely it is simply the special effects that we adults have become used to.

Cartoons are often worse than the non-animated movies. A movie like “Yogi Bear” doesn’t need all of the frantic music and graphics of, say, “Zootopia,” because it is already realistic. There are actual people in it.

During a recent trip to the aquarium, my 3-year-old asked to see the movie about whales. When she walked into the IMAX theater, she pointed to a small square in the front of the theater and asked if that’s where the movie was going to play. I don’t think she understood that the entire theater was going to be the screen until lifesize whales started swimming across it. “We have to go now,” she told me.

Now it seems like our media companies have, as they say, kicked it up a notch. The emergence of virtual-reality devices may seem like a really neat way to give kids a more immersive experience. Indeed, earlier this year McDonald’s launched a promotion in Sweden of Happy Meal boxes that could be turned into virtual-reality viewers.

More than 3,000 Happy Goggles were distributed with a ski-themed virtual reality game called “Slope Stars.” Coca Cola also recently offered purchasers of 12-packs a similar option. Virtual-reality goggles could be created from the boxes that hold the soda cans.

There is obviously much to be said about this technology, even for kids. In March, Expedia teamed up with St. Jude’s Hospital to give kids who were too sick to leave the hospital a way to experience their dream vacation through virtual reality. Sick kids can feel like they are scuba diving or riding horses.

But soon, virtual reality is going to be for everyone thanks to products like the new Oculus Rift. In a few years, the device will be like an iPhone. Who won’t have one? HBO and Discovery have made large investments in this area. And virtual reality is supposedly remaking the world of pornography too.

Unfortunately, we have no idea what the effect of putting these headsets on kids will be. And the manufacturers seem to acknowledge that. Samsung’s manual for its Gear VR reads: “Not for use by children under 13. Watching videos or playing games with the Gear VR may affect the visual development of children. When children, age 13 or older, use the Gear VR, adults should limit their usage time and ensure they take frequent breaks. Adults should monitor children closely after using the Gear VR if children feel discomfort.” Ha!

What are the chances such a device would be in the home of any kid and they wouldn’t actually get the chance to use it? Pretty slim. But parents should beware. Kids who are still getting used to what is a part of the real world may not be ready for a virtual one yet.