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MAR26SP04

(1998), PG [PG*]

Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
une 24, 2002
73 out of 100
0.49
--66

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Christian Long Distance

SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:
(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary.



(1998), PG [PG*] -- "Unless someone hits the brake, our future may be a short one."


Company(ies): Cloud Ten Pictures in association with Dr. Jack Van Impe Ministries, Pastor Luis Palau and Dr. Marlin Maddoux of Point of View Ministries
Director(s): Peter Gerretsen
Producer(s): Paul Lalonde, Peter Lalonde, Andre Desroches, Shirley Desroches, Michael Walker, Deborah Kelly
Production Management: Kim Cheetham
Production Coordination: Lorio Anastacio, Gord Mitchell
Written by/Screenplay: Paul Lalonde, Peter Lalonde
Cinematography/Camera: Uri Yakibew, André van Heerden
Post Production Supervision: André van Heerden
Audio Editing: Steve Hutchings
Film Editing: Igor Boros


The story opens with WNN news anchor, Helen Hannah (Leigh Lewis) and her grandmother, Edna (Toni Carey) watching a foreboding announcement about unrest in the middle east. Both Helen and Grandma are bothered by the announcement but Grandma is especially disturbed. Grandma is a Christian but Helen is not. Helen asks "Are you all-right, grandma?" who replies "Everything seems to be falling into place, Helen. Who's fighting. Where they're fighting. And what they're fighting about. Even president Macalousso..." Helen sees her grandmother's distress and tries to soothe her with "Things will get better, Grandma. They always do." The grand matronly wisdom of Grandma peals in her words of reply: "Yes. I know they will, Helen. But they're going to get a lot worse before they get better. And I'm just afraid you're not ready for what lies ahead." That sets the stage for ... what lies ahead in Apocalypse: Caught in the Eye of the Storm.

Helen is co-anchor for WNN with Bronson Pearl (Richard Nester). Together Helen and Bronson form not only an enamored pair but the pulse of the developments happening in the middle east -- the movement of military forces into Armageddon, Israel. Bronson has covered such maneuvers as this before but something seems different about this one. Something is indeed different. Everyone seems resigned to all-out war without thought to alternate resolution. A single-minded fixation on war. Nations are gathering with millions of soldiers from all over the world. Military might as has never been seen before is poised, ready to launch cataclysmic destruction of hellfire proportions. And no one seems to have any mind except to kill.

Apocalypse: Caught in the Eye of the Storm  earned a CAP Final Score of 73 which places it solidly in the scoring range of 68 to 86 of 100 earned by PG-rated movies in the CAP comparative baseline database. While God's name is used in vain, none occur with the four letter expletive [Deut. 5:11] No sexually-oriented programming whatsoever was noted nor was there even one use of the three/four letter word vocabulary noted. There are a number of issues of defiance or arrogance against God's Word to build a strong and clear contrast between Faith and worldly/evil matters which are inherent with the subject matter [2Tim. 3:16]. Clearly, the strongest influence is in violence which is also inherent with the subject matter [Prov. 3:31-32].

Day One. Fear spreads from a regional conflict to possible world war. A 4000 year conflict may find its end in a nuclear fireball. A small sliver of land is the field - Armageddon. Not worth much, but it's all the Jews have. It is their land. And the US is ready to help them defend it ... with any aggression necessary. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. While "the hands on the doomsday clock move closer to midnight", people seem to find a glimmer of hope in European Union President Franco Macalousso who has the respect of every party to the conflict and claims that all the missiles and bombs are no match for the united will of mankind. But from the front, everyone "is just assuming there is no turning back."

Day Two. Confirmed reports provide evidence that the aggression has started with attacks on Tel Aviv with chemical weapons. Israeli General Alizar (Michael Halkusis) explains this was no act of war but an act of genocide, killing not just military interests but babies as well. Three million troops are deployed within 100 miles of Armageddon. Another 2 million troops less than three hours away. US aircraft carrier Nebraska is destroyed by a Chinese torpedo in the Mediterranean Sea - presuming all 5000 of the crew are dead.. The US is officially at war. "Unless someone hits the brake, our future may be a short one." Nuclear bombs are launched. The US launches a counter strike "the magnitude of which is almost beyond measure." Nuclear holocaust is now imminent. In the middle of the wait for the bombs to hit, millions of people vanish. And so do the nuclear bombs. And bullets. Holy intervention? European Union President Franko Macalouso says different. And what he says is paramount -- he is the new messiah [Matt. 24:5].

Day Three. Randy Sistilli (Dale Moore), head of WNN is replaced ... in a very permanent way ... by Len Parker (David Roddis) acting on the behalf of the new messiah to help the new messiah create a new Heaven on Earth: "Every great cause in history, no matter how noble, had idiots and backward thinkers getting in the way." Glory is given to Macalousso for ending the battles in progress and bringing peace to the earth Jesus could not bring. Helen finds her grandmother has vanished along with so many others. Edna left a note and a strongbox key on her blouse for Helen that causes Helen to view some tapes of Truth by Dr. Jack and Rexella van Impe and Pastor Luis Palau. These tools lead Helen to utter the sinner's prayer and accept Jesus as Lord and resurrected Savior. Now, the direction of WNN is changed. And so has Helen's life, but not Bronson's.

Macalousso continues to makes his claim of being God and makes it from the Mount of Olives. He welcomes the world to "a new age of peace and prosperity, to a new age of human enlightenment, to a new Heaven of Earth." In this segment, Macalousso claims we are each capable of godhood and the typical Christian-bashing expressions of "division" and "intolerance" come up. "I have come in peace. And I have brought peace to the world. I have saved you all from certain destruction" ... "My children, I am here today to tell you that we are ready to take the next great step of evolution. I will show you the wonderful powers that lie within you. Waiting to be unleashed. Powers that have been your birthright from the very beginning. What has held you back until now were those who refuse to believe in the power of the human mind, those who believe that our true power came from outside ourselves. I tell you today the power is not outside yourselves ... it is within yourself. It always has been!" There are many other examples of smooth talk and fine-sounding arguments to deceive which might confuse or seduce those who are yet unArmed [Rom. 16:18, Ps. 55:21]. Helen is deeply disturbed by Macalousso's speech and drags Bronson out of the studio to her home to share the Truth with him. Bronson is not a believer ... yet.

There four more "days" to this dynamic accounting of the times expected and events predicted to follow the Rapture of the Bride, but I will leave them to your discovery. I will, however, share with you the list if findings noted. Please visit the listing in the Findings/Scoring section before you decide whether this film is fit for your children.


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SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S)
If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ]. 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.

  • Deut. 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain [shav' {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity]: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
  • 2Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
  • Prov. 3:31-32 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
  • Matt. 24:5 For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ, ' and will deceive many.
  • Rom. 16:18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
  • Ps. 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences to younger and younger audiences every year when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, pay for it, enjoy it, want it].
  • Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man [by his influence] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
  • Rom. 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
  • Jude 1:4 For there are certain men* crept in unawares [secretly slipped in among us], who were before of old ordained to this condemnation [whose condemnation was written about long ago], ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [a license for immorality], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
  • Matt. 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto [or for] one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto [or for] me.
  • Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. [Offend: skandalizo {skan-dal-id'-zo} - scandalize; to entice to sin; to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey; to cause to fall away. I suspect "offend" includes sexually abusing the little ones. "Little ones": mikros - little;, small of age; younger which can include at-home teens].
  • Ps. 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me [let no sin rule over me].
  • John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  • 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. ["Evil" includes all things that are sinful.]


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    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.
  • FINDINGS / SCORING:
    (The objective  heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)



    APOCALYPSE: Caught in the Eye of the Storm (1998) CAP Thermometers


    Wanton Violence/Crime (W):
  • images of warfare, strife death, terror and pain
  • scenes of many war machines amassing for war
  • dire sense throughout of impending doom
  • explosions threatening many people
  • scenes of warfare ordnance fire
  • massive deaths (unseen) by skyscraper collapsing due to warfare
  • threat of nuclear holocaust
  • traffic wreck with injury
  • injury with blood
  • scenes of massive civil violence, destruction, chaos and desperation
  • dead body from civil violence
  • threat of killing of obedience is not given
  • preparation for hanging with noose around neck

    Impudence/Hate (I):
  • lie about personal safety
  • looting
  • brutality during civil violence
  • peeping surveillance
  • intimidation by veiled threats of killing
  • lie about whereabouts
  • harassment by pursuit to capture

    Sex/Homosexuality (S):
  • none noted

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • beer

    Offense to God (O):
  • 8 uses of God's name in vain without the four letter expletive and none with it
  • smooth talk and fine arguments denying the Truth, the omnipotence and the message of Jesus
  • Jesus claimed to be a deceiver, divider of people, intolerant, a liar. and more
  • additional arguments against the reality of God and His Love

    Murder/Suicide (M):
  • gunfire murder (not seen but heard)


























  • NOTE: The CAP Analysis Model makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse or for manufacturing of justification for aberrant behavior or imagery, or for camouflaging such ignominy with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme plot does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure or example from the sinful display or the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior. This is NOT a movie review service. It is a movie analysis service to parents and grandparents to tell them the truth about movies using the Truth.


    "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 nearly seven 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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