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A service to our youth through you, their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word MAR22101 Ballistic: Ecks vs Sever (2002), R Analysis Date: September 25, 2002 CAP Score: 54 CAP Influence Density: 1.88 MinMax: -100 |
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BALLISTIC: ECKS vs SEVER (R) -- Murder, murder, murder. Production: Dante Entertainment, Franchise Pictures, SuperMega Distribution: Warner Bros. Director(s): Wych Kaosayananda (Kaos) Producer(s): Tarak Ben Ammar, Greg Francovich, Oliver Hengst, James A. Holt, Wych Kaosayananda, Chris Lee, Peter M. Lenkov, Dawn Miller, Elie Samaha, Wolfgang Schamburg, Ernst August Schneider, Tracee Stanley, Andrew Stevens, Andrew Sugerman Written by/Screenplay: Alan B. McElroy Cinematography/Camera: Julio Macat Music: Don Davis Film Editing: Jay Lash Cassidy, Caroline Ross Casting: Jeff Gerrard Production Design: Douglas Higgins Art Direction: Lawrence F. Pevec  What an interesting scoring distribution! An extremely violent show with much murder and abuse of a child yielding a zero score in each of Wanton Violence/Crime and Murder/Suicide -- definitely equivalent to R-rated programming in those two investigation areas. But the movie is equivalent to PG-13 in Impudence/Hate (91% of the Impudence/Hate scoring loss was due to foul language), PG in Drugs/Alcohol and G in Sex/Homosexuality and Offense to God. While there are ten issuances of the three/four letter word vocabulary, there are NO issuances of the most foul of the foul words. There are two uses of God's name in vain but both are without the four letter expletive. There was NO sexual programming noted. None. Ballistic: Ecks vs Sever earned a CAP final score of 54 which places it squarely on the upper cell boundary of the scoring range earned by R-rated movies (54 and below) in the CAP comparative baseline database of movies. That also places it only one point under the PG-13 scoring range (55 to 67). There is not much to tell about the plot and story line. The previews pretty much tell it all. An ex-FBI agent, Jeremiah Ecks (Antonio Banderas) is in drunken mourning for his wife, Rayne (Talisa Soto) killed in an explosion seven years ago. Ecks' previous boss, Julio Martin (Miguel Sandoval) comes with news that Ecks' wife is not really dead after all, Indeed, she is married to wealthy evil Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) agent, Robert Gant (Gregg Henry) who is trying to smuggle an electronic crab-looking robot small enough to flow with the blood in a human and, when triggered, can kill the host. Now the plot thickens. As Ecks searches for his wife he becomes involved in the efforts to foil the smuggling of the tiny robot. Another DIA agent, Agent Ross (Ray Park) places Ecks on a hit list. So, Ecks is after Gant while the DIA is after Ecks. Mixed in the fray is ex-DIA Agent Sever (Lucy Lui) who is after Gant also but for killing her son. Ecks and Sever become cohorts in a common cause. While such an arrangement flies in the face of the title, Sever has kidnapped Ecks' wife's son by Gant as insurance.. Rayne's son was presumed to be by Gant ... or was he? Rayne's son is about seven years old. Rayne was presumed to be dead for seven years? I guess there is logic in the "vs" in Ballistic: Ecks vs Sever. Sever does kick the stuffing out of Ecks a couple times. The whole movie does not make much sense. The movie does make with the explosions and killing, though. Tons of them. Lots of fighting and martial arts violence. Uncountable instances of gunfire and/or explosions to kill. Firearms to heads. Vehicular assault. Massive gun battles. Electrocution deaths. Murder by gunfire. Murder by fall. Murder by explosion. Murder by neck break. Murder by implant. Murder, murder, murder. [Mark 7:21, Rev. 21:8, Prov. 28:17] That programming and the 'I'll (filth) your (foul), you (foul) (filth)' talk were responsible for the vast majority of the point loss. I can just see them now ... copies of that line in the teen online forums but filled in. Makes 'em feel all adult talking like adults talk. {screech} That comment is kinda pointy, isn't it? [Titus 2:6-8] "Don't do as I do, do as I say" never was any good. 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. *******Food for Daily Thought******* 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. |
 Wanton Violence/Crime (W): Impudence/Hate (I)(1): Sex/Homosexuality (S): Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O)(2): Murder/Suicide (M)(3): |
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| 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. |
