CAP Report MAR-0053, THE ARRIVAL (1996)

ChildCare Action Project:
Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

Entertainment Media Analysis Report
MAR-0053
The Arrival (1996), PG-13
CAP Score: 67
CAP ID: 0.60

Thomas A. Carder
CAP President

ALERT: To fully understand this report you should first visit the topics suggested by the CAP Home Page Table of Contents.

The Arrival was a science fiction spoof about some aliens coming to earth to further our destruction of our atmosphere to accelerate global warming with the intent to exterminate the human race -- so they could take over the earth. While some special effects were good, the impact of the counterproductive material was inescapable.

Outbursts, irresponsible behavior, breaking & entering for unrighteous reasons, and graphic amputation amputated many of the starting 100 points in Wanton Violence/Crime (W). Lies and foul language destroyed almost all of the Impunity/Hate⁽¹⁾ (I) points. Sexual innuendo, parading of underwear, nudity, and camera angles to focus the viewer on private regions dissolved about half of the Sex/Homosexuality (S) points. No noted occurences of drugs or alcohol (D) left all 100 starting points in Drugs/Alcohol intact. But Offense to God⁽²⁾ (O) suffered due to the typical use of God's name in vain with and without four-letter coloration, but not as much as would be expected of a PG-13 movie. Murder/Suicide⁽³⁾ (M) faired fairly well with only one act of murder, albeit by scorpion attack with grotesque mutillation of the body. This was a true PG-13 movie with a CAP Final Score right at the top end of the range of scores for PG-13 movies in the CAP comparative baseline database movies.

Other examples of unacceptable stuff included:

language with reference to sexual activities
scenes of multiple deaths
irresponsible driving with property damage to gain unathorized access
sexual innuendo
destruction of private property to avoid discovery
attempted murder
violence by police
graphic murders of aliens to prevent discovery
view of mutillated [human] body
a man dressing in front of a woman
attack with a sythe
implied threat with a screwdriver as a stabbing weapon

Below is the table showing the scoring in each of the Investigation Areas plus the Final Score drawn from the actual CAP Report. In addition, the number of examples per hour of unacceptable material in each of the Investigation Areas is provided.

The Arrival CAP Scorecard

In accordance with the CAP comparative baseline database of movies, The Arrival was equivalent to R-rated material in Impunity/Hate and Sex/Homosexuality. It presented material equivalent to PG-13 material in Wanton Violence/Crime. The movie presented material equivalent to PG-rated movies in Offense to God. In Murder/Suicide and Drugs/Alcohol, The Arrival was equivalent to G-rated movies. Thus, The Arrival was equivalent to the comparative baseline data corresponding to 33% R-rated material, 17% PG-13 material, 17% G-rated material, and 33% G-rated material.

(1) As noted in CAP Special Report-0001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend", of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impunity/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

(2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary is incorporated into the Impunity/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name in vain with and without the three/four letter word vocabulary is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area.

(3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Presentation of attempts to commit murder or suicide, deaths by police action, and deaths by war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.

Please remember we believe that if even one of the six Investigation Area scores for a movie is equivalent to the CAP comparative baseline databse scoring range for R, PG-13, or PG material, the entire movie should be regarded as so rated. For example, if only Wanton Violence/Crime earns a score equivalent to R but all other Investigation Areas earn a score equivalent to G, THERE IS R-RATED MATERIAL IN THE MOVIE AND YOUR KIDS WILL SEE IT AND HEAR IT IF THEY WATCH THE MOVIE!

Additional reviews of this movie may be located at "Cinemachine: The Movie Review Search Engine."

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