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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 MAR27026  (2006), PG [PG*] (1hr 52min) 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 1100 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 PProduction (US): Walden Media, Bristol Bay Productions, Ingenious Film Partners, Roadside Attractions Distribution (US): Roadside Attractions, Samuel Goldwyn Films LLC Director(s): Michael Apted Producer(s): Bob Beltz, Mark Cooper, Patricia Heaton, David Hunt, Jeanney Kim, Terrence Malick, Edward R. Pressman, Ken Wales Written by: Steven Knight Cinematography/Camera: Remi Adefarasin Music: David Arnold Film Editing: Rick Shaine Casting: Nina Gold Production Design: Charles Wood Art Direction: David Allday, Matthew Gray Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 It is hard to believe and more so hard to understand how so many so jealously defended their self-ordained "right" to own people. Originally released on February 23, 2007 in Black History month, Amazing Grace is just now making it to our local theater. Why, I do not know ... or care. Subjectively speaking, I enjoyed this film. It takes choppy hops around a period of about 25 years circa the late 18th century and takes some inordinately long periods of screentime to address relatively short script periods but the reliance on the Scriptures is good. Albert Finney as clergyman John Newton who becomes blind gives definition to the phrase "I was blind but now I see" from the song, "Amazing Grace." Newton had piloted ships to carry 20,000 slaves from Africa then became a staunch supporter of abolishing slave trade as "20,000 ghosts haunted" him. And it was John Newton who wrote the famous hymn "Amazing Grace." Some would say Amazing Grace is more of a moral lesson than a movie. Maybe it is time for more moral lessons in and as entertainment. We certainly have enough films that assault morality and decency, many of the harshest perpetrators being PG and PG-13 and thus, whether intentional, targeted at the age stratum with the most malleable moral standards. However atypical as a movie Amazing Grace may be, quality performers build an enjoyable experience. But there are a few issues you may not want your young ones to see. Please read this report thoroughly before you decide for which age stratum this film is fit. Remember, the fitness of a film for your kids is not up to the MPAA. It is up to you. Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd, Reed Richards of Fantastic 4) plays MP (Member of Parliament) William Wilberforce, a 21-year old force with which to be reckoned to be sure. A force enough to be the social engineer for the abolition of slavery in England. Wilberforce has a soft spot for underdogs and animals. The film revealed both as he fed dozens of poor, enough to cause his chief cook to almost have a breakdown. His soft spot for animals is revealed near the beginning of the film as a horse is beaten nearly to death. Wilberforce's soft spot for abused animals is prophetic of his hatred of slavery and of his service to abolishing the slavery trade. If the film is true to history, more than 11,000,000 African citizens were abducted to serve as slaves by the late 18th century ... and only about half of them survived the 3-week boat trip to northern Europe. With oratory skills equal at least to his singing voice, Wilberforce launched his anti-slavery campaign with a vengeance. At his side is long-time friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch) whose aspiration is to be the youngest Prime Minister of Britain ... an aspiration which comes true. Now, with a Prime Minister, a slave ship captain turned preacher and a gifted speaking skill, Wilberforce takes on the pressures of Parliament and a national commerce ingrained for years in slave trade to effect social change. Wilberforce introduces a bill to Parliament to make it happen. Wilberforce engages in battle after battle with Parliament so intense he loses his singing voice due to all the shouting. In addition, his ailing health complicated by the addiction to opiates prescribed by his doctor erode a dazzling plan to unite key officials and the people against slave trade. A significant number of people come together to assist Wilberforce. These people include Newton, African Prince Oloudaqh Equiano (Youssou N'Dour), Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell) ... and Barbara (Romola Garai). With an education and a nature that enable her to almost finish Wilberforce's sentences, Barbara becomes Mrs. Wilberforce. She enters William's life as a staunch ally and remains a strong and wise supporter in every way in his uphill trek to abolishing the slave trade in spite of the inevitable professional bankruptcies and potential disaster to the governmental coffers. While this film could be used as an education tool, it bears disturbingly dark and intensely bitter tales and portrayals of the horrors suffered by the African abductees. The viewer is taken aboard the Madagascar which was one of the ships used to transport slaves and is told about the conditions they lived in, conditions which were fatal for nearly half of the men, women and children taken from their homes in Africa. In one case, it appears that an African child is incinerated by oven blast. Please read carefully the individual investigation area discussions below and the listings in the Findings/Scoring section before you decide for what age stratum this film is fit (if any). Though the MPAA slapped a PG on it, this film is not a toy. And please understand we are not here to judge your entertainment diet. We tell you about the content which the MPAA, advertisers, promoters, word-of-mouth, etc. can't or won't tell you. And we use God's word to discern what to tell you. In a nutshell, we tell you what is there ... you decide. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) In some places this film is intensely violent either visually or in dialogue. A horse is brutally beaten. A character displays the scars he received as a slave. There is a relatively long sequence of extreme brutality and intense human misery. Monologues about the terrors faced by the slaves are somewhat effective in imparting the intensity of the evil they suffered. [Rom. 12:18, Ps. 141:4, Hab. 2:9] Impudence/Hate (I) There are eight uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary plus two racially derogatory terms in this film. [2 Tim. 2:16, Prov. 22:11, Col. 3:8] One of the slaves is used to cover a gambling bet. One of the characters chooses to cheat though it be for good [2 Tim. 2:5]. Another character displays an adult tantrum. Sexual Immorality (S) The only issues of sexual immorality in the entire 112-minute film are one innuendo [Eph. 5:4] about the sexual performance of a husband and wife and excessive breast exposure endemic of the period. [1 Cor. 12:23 - 24] Drugs/Alcohol (D) Booze and drinking are rather frequent. Wilberforce's portrays addiction to prescription drugs . Two episodes of smoking are noted. These ignominy are the main reason for the display of the red CAPCon Alert light since they were enough to cause the loss of enough of the starting 100 points in Drugs/Alcohol to make the film equivalent to some R-rated films in Drugs/Alcohol. Again I am going to make a "big deal" (a long sermon) out of the drinking (and smoking) in this "kid-rated" film. A study by the American College of Physicians (ACP) revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking and smoking in and as entertainment leads to undeniable abuse of alcohol among underage kids. 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% were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted from viewing R-rated movies. 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 (see R-13) and four years later by Harvard University scientists (see Harvard Agrees With Us). The bottom line? The focus is the influence of adolescent exposure to drinking (and smoking) in and as entertainment is undeniable regardless of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) classification. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? And emboldening children to sin with drink in and as entertainment screams of violating Luke 17:2. Even the University of Connecticut corroborates our finding and that of the ACP. [Eph. 5:18] I can add to the ACP study that reveals films which present drinking and drunkenness contribute to underage substance abuse. I submit that it is not so much the presence of alcohol and tobacco in films that embolden youth to abuse substances, but is rather the attitude portrayed. Our report on this, ATTITUDE: In Perspective -- Investigation Area Scoring and Trend in CAP Entertainment Industry Investigations, Special Report-001 may provide more understanding of the point. Offense to God (O) God's name is use in vain only once in the entire film and then is used without the four letter expletive. [Deut. 5:11] This, together with gambling, erased a little of the starting 100 points. Murder/Suicide (M) No murders or suicides were seen. However, the intense references to slave deaths which might be and maybe should be considered murder and the dialogue of the suicides of the slaves who jumped off the transport ships are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. 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) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
| 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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