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A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR2010.027  (2010), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (1hr 51min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1200 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Dune Entertainment, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Top Cow Productions, Scott Free Productions, Big Screen Productions, Ingenious Film Partners, Phoenix Film Partners Distribution (US): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Director(s): Joe Carnahan Producer(s): Stephen J. Cannell, Lee Cleary, Jules Daly, Ross Fanger, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Spike Seldin, Marc Silvestri, Iain Smith, Alex Young Writing Credits: Joe Carnahan, Brian Bloom, Skip Woods Cinematography/Camera: Mauro Fiore Music: Alan Silvestri Film Editing: Roger Barton, Jim May Production Design: Charles Wood Art Direction: Michael Diner, Dan Hermansen, Helen Jarvis Viewed on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment DVD  This film analysis is sponsored in part by the generosity of N&KB. Occasionally I recommend that home viewers purchase a TVGuardian foul language filter to eliminate the profanity in the playback of a film on disk (on any other playback that is closed-captioned). The TVG filter shuts off the audio as foul words are detected then (optionally) places cleaned text at the bottom of the screen. But in the case of The A-Team there is so much profanity (45 times per hour) that there would be little left of the audible dialogue. If you switch on the cleaned closed captioning you would spend so much time reading the captioning that much of the film experience which requires attention to the photography would be lost. In this movie-ized version of the TV A-Team of the 1980s by Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell, Col. John Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson) and his fugitive commando band of Vietnam war Army Rangers with 80 successful missions build the story told first by the TV series. Smith's Alpha Team crew of Iraq war veterans; insane Capt. James 'HM - Howling Mad' Murdock (Sharito Copley), Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck (Bradely Cooper) and Sgt. B.A. Baracus (Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson as the modern version of Mr. T), are framed in a government collusion to illegally obtain from Baghdad $100 printing plates and $1,000,000,000 of money made with the plates. I am sorry but I have to add a side bar note here. While Neeson did a 21st century job of playing Col. Smith, Neeson is simply not George Peppard. The same goes for the other characters, including Jackson -- he is just not Mr. T. It would be well, if you decide to watch this movie, if you know nothing of the original A-Team and its characters. Capt. Charrisa Sosa (Jessica Biel), demoted to Lieutenant, serves as a government agent to prevent Gen. Russell Morrison (Gerald McRaney) from covertly ordering Col. Smith and company to obtain the plates and counterfeit money. CIA Agent Lynch (Patrick Wilson) works apparently for the government to aid Smith in his clandestine mission. How much you enjoy the show may depend on how well you can shut off your brain ... and how well you can shut off your wholesome moral standards. Due to content this film is G-equivalent in the two CAP investigation areas of Sexual Immorality (S) and Murder/Suicide (M), but it is R-equivalent all four other investigation areas -- in Wanton Violence/Crime (W), Impudence/Hate (I) [language], Drugs/Alcohol (D) and Offense to God (O) [use of God's name in vain]. Needless then to say, The A-Team is very much a hard R-13 film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 Violence in this film appears mostly by action violence and gun battles -- lots of them. Action violence of varying intensities keeps the speakers rumbling for most of the 111.5 minutes of the actual programming in a larger-than-life way. And that is the point - the larger-than-life aspects of this genre of entertainment. God warned us that violence and other forms of "evil communications" [1 Cor. 15:33] can and do corrupt decision-making and coping skills. It is inevitable and inarguable. And historically proven. The effect of such entertainment on decision-making and coping skills is also fairly immeasurable. And Unpredictable. There is no way to predict or measure how much or how severe the influence of such violence will surface. The only thing that is relatively certain is that the influence will likely manifest in the victim ... someday ... some how. There is also no way to tell how severe it will surface. The influence planted by viewing violence (and other manners of influence, good and bad) can be likened to losing in the couch those little straight pins that come in new shirts. You may think you have found them all. But someday one or more of them will surface .. painfully (See our Little Straight Pins publication). The bottom line? Viewing violence (indeed any form of aberrant behavior) in and as entertainment can negatively embolden and entice the viewer and can lead him/her "into the way that is not good" and can boil up contempt for righteousness and wholesome ethics. [Prov. 16:29, Prov. 18:3] Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 At least 44 times per hour someone utters some form of profanity. [Col 3:8, Prov 22:11] And that is enough to make the content found by this investigation are equivalent to the same content in many R-rated films. Sexual Immorality (S) - 91 out of 100 Content discovered by this investigation area revealed content to easily be equivalent to most G-rated films. All that was found was a rude gaze, a male anatomical reference and an example of excessive cleavage. While we must not look at the opposite sex in lustful ways [Matt. 5:28] nor should we use crude body terms to draw attention to private parts [Eph. 5:4], neither are we to display that which is, in some circles, immodest whether the movie portrays it "accidental" or not (not one frame of a movie is accidental). [1Tim. 2:9] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 37 out of 100 Booze. Drinking. Smoking. This film has it all. And for your 13 year old children. What does the American College of Physicians have to say about that? Since you've asked, I'll tell you. A 2002 study by the American College of Physicians (ACP) revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The finding entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was • 46% for those with no viewing restrictions • 16% for those with partial viewing restrictions • four percent for those with complete viewing restrictions. The researchers selected R-rated movies because they assumed R-rated movies typically present more drinking than movies of other classifications. This assumption is no longer true. The researchers were not aware of the matter of R-13 proven by this ministry in 2000 with which Harvard University researchers agreed four years later. The bottom line? Regardless of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) classification the focus is that the emboldening influence of adolescent exposure to drinking (and smoking) in and as entertainment is undeniable. [Eph. 5:18] Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 To speak the name of God or Jesus (which includes Christ) in any way other than respectful communication and in prayer is in vain. His name was used in vain 27 times without the four letter expletive and 5 times with it. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 97 out of 100 While there were many deaths by gunfire, all but one were from kill-or-be-killed armed scenarios such as in warfare and gun battles. Deaths due to war, defensive maneuvers or lawful police action are not considered murder and are not incorporated into this investigation area. However, one death, that of Gen. Morrison was by deliberate act and was considered murder -- by fire and explosion. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 91 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 37 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 97 out of 100 |
| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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