Make Your Shopping Count. A percentage of each purchase goes to the CAP Ministry.


CAPCon ALERT

RED does not mean "stop." GREEN does not mean "go." Click on the CAPCon Alert image for explanation
CAP Movie Ministry
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

MAR27042

WITH COMPARATIVE
(2007), PG-13 [Lite R-13*] (1hr 44min)

Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
August 3, 2007
54 out of 100
1.50
-100

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.
Give your visitors full access to over 1100 CAP movie analyses! Place this image on your website and link it to
"http://www.capalert.com/
now_playing.htm"
Target="_Blank"


Click it to try it!

PLEASE . . . . . . .


(a PayPal account is NOT required)
OR (preferred) by Check or Money Order.
The CAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Christian ministry. Donations to us are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE

Stay informed ...OBJECTIVELY...
on what Hollywood feeds your kids. SUBSCRIBE
(or unsubscribe)
to our FREE text-only email version of these reports and our COMING SOON notices.
Email this report to friends and
tell them about the CAP Ministry:






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.



(2007), PG-13 [Lite R-13*]


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Universal Pictures, Bourne Again, Kennedy/Marshall Company, The, Ludlum Entertainment
Distribution (US): Universal Pictures
Director(s): Paul Greengrass
Producer(s): Zakaria Alaoui, Patrick Crowley, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Donna Langley, Doug Liman, Frank Marshall, Henry Morrison, Colin J. O'Hara, Paul Sandberg, Andrew R. Tennenbaum, Jeffrey M. Weiner
Screenplay: Tony Gilroy, Scott Z. Burns, George Nolfi
Screen Story: Tony Gilroy
Novel: Robert Ludlum
Cinematography/Camera: Oliver Wood
Music: John Powell
Film Editing: Christopher Rouse
Casting: Daniel Hubbard, John Hubbard, Avy Kaufman
Production Design: Peter Wenham
Art Direction: Robert Cowper, Jason Knox-Johnston, Andy Nicholson
Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6


It's Bourne again! Jason (not Vorhees) is back with another helping of the same thing, just scooped out from the other side of the same pot.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) returns to New York City from Moscow via London, Paris, Madrid and Tangier to find out his true identity: that he is really Captain David Webb. Webb was voluntarily brainwashed a number of years ago by Dr. Albert Hirsch (Albert Finney) of the CIA to mindlessly obey mission objectives. But now Webb is questioning his being and his purpose: questioning that maybe there is more to him that a robotic killer.

41571 is the code that leads Bourne to the source of his dilemma. 41571? What is that? A zip code? A birthdate? Geographical coordinates? A license plate number? What it actually is is for your discovery should you decide the moral muck is worth wading through.

Now that Bourne is inching his way to 41571 he is again a threat to the CIA. The Black Ops Division Director Noah Vosen (David Strathaim), under the plausible deniability of CIA Director Ezra Kramer (Scott Glenn), declares Bourne a target.

While many are out to kill Bourne, now second-in-command of the Black Ops Division Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) [again] tries to save Bourne. New agent Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), who has key knowledge of the source for Bourne, joins Landy in trying to protect Bourne from Vosen.

The Bourne Ultimatum  earned a final score of 54 which places it one point below the scoring range (55 to 67 out of 100) earned by PG-13 films in the comparative baseline database: atop the scoring range earned by R-rated films (54 and below out of 100). That makes this film a very  lite R-13. The final score of 49 for The Bourne Identity then 66 for The Bourne Supremacy hinted of a possible trend of moral improvement. The implication of a trend was obliterated by the final score of 54 for The Bourne Ultimatum. But two is not large enough sample population to identify a trend. Following is a comparative scoring data display for the three Bourne  films.


In each of the three films, the film content earned the highest scores in the Sexual Immorality (S) and Drugs/Alcohol (D) investigation areas. The area scores in Wanton Violence/Crime (W) are the lowest (zero in each case). This pattern is revealed by the comparative data display as shown by the three bright red curves superimposed over the three graphs. Note that the curvature of each curve is identical. The magnitude of the Ultimatum  curve is slightly larger (taller) to account for the magnitude of the area scores being higher, but the curvature (distribution) is identical. SIDEBAR NOTE: The Bourne Ultimatum earned an investigation area score of 100 which is most  atypical of modern films let alone PG-13 films.

For each film the difference between the Sexual Immorality and the Drugs/Alcohol investigation area score is three points. For the first two films the Drugs/Alcohol score is the higher but for the Ultimatum  film the Sexual Immorality score is higher. But in all cases the three-point spread is nearly unnoticeable. The column tops are so close to the curve that the differences, for all intents and purposes, may be ignored.

Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
This is the investigation area which found the most intense content. To even summarize the violence/crime content would make this discussion much too long for the scope of it. Please rely on the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) listing in the Findings/Scoring section. As revealed by several professional health agencies (see Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children Congressional Public Health Summit) and as warned of by God [1 Cor. 15:33], I suspect the violence content is indeed massive and invasive enough to alter or at least challenge wholesome behavior choices, especially those of the typically most morally vulnerable -- young teens. The very target age stratum of the film.

Impudence/Hate (I)
In addition to 16 uses of profanity, [Col. 3:8] this film uses lies [Rev. 21:8], an order to lie, deceit to implicate and stirring up dissension [Rom. 13:13] as devices to impart its story.

Sexual Immorality (S)
There were no noted instances of sexually immoral behavior.

Drugs/Alcohol (D)
The only scene involving alcoholic beverages was that of a liquor store. As innocuous as this might seem, the sight of a liquor store is advertising. And advertising emboldens the observer. "Gimme a break!" Well, not everyone who sees a peanut butter commercial buys the advertised brand. But some do ... because  of the commercial. [Eph. 5:18]

Offense to God (O)
God's name was used in vain 9 times, both with and without the four letter expletive. And that was enough to drain the Offense to God investigation area score to less than half its starting 100 points. God is quite serious about using His name in vain. Whether we believe it or not. Whether we like it or not. Whether we agree or not. Whether we care or not. [Deut. 5:11]

Murder/Suicide (M)
Three times someone was murdered in The Bourne Ultimatum. Once by sniper. Once by explosion and another by gunfire.


ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


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

  • Col. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy (injurious speech, slander in this use), filthy communication [aischrologia: foul speaking, low and obscene] out of your mouth.
  • Rev. 21:8 But the [unforgiven] fearful [deilos {di-los'}; timid, cowardly], and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
  • Rom. 13:13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
  • 1Ths. 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
  • Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. [Since "drunk" is methusko {meth-oos'-ko}: to intoxicate; make drunk; to get drunk; become intoxicated, "wine" can be any intoxicating substance including illegal drugs or abuse of prescription drugs. The issue is do not abuse the body by intoxicating it. Though it is not a sin to drink, it is a sin to get drunk OR to influence to get drunk OR to drink in defiance such as underage drinking.
  • Deut. 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. [Vain is shav' {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity, such as an expletive. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or mature discussion is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name.]

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • Jer. 37:9 This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, 'The Babylonians [the destroyers from within] will surely leave us.' They will not!
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences and present it to younger and younger audiences every year] when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it. I call attention to Ps. 12:8 to warn of the creeping desensitizing power of "entertainment."]
  • 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 [kakov: of a bad nature, not such as it ought to be] 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 one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto 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.]
  • 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.]


    ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


    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.)


    The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
  • physical assault, frequent, of varying intensities
  • breaking and entering
  • theft, repeatedly
  • bloody injury
  • blood smears
  • firearm threat to the face
  • sequence of flashback views of violence, twice
  • conversation of murder and killing
  • firearm to kill, repeatedly
  • gunfire to kill, frequent
  • order to kill
  • pursuit to kill, throughout
  • terrorist bomb
  • reckless driving with endangerment, repeatedly
  • action violence, frequent, of varying intensities
  • potentially fatal reckless behavior, repeatedly
  • long fighting sequence ending in death
  • vehicular assault
  • graphic injury

    Impudence/Hate (I)
  • 16 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary
  • lies, including to protect
  • order to lie
  • deceit to implicate in crime
  • stirring up dissension among good guy task force

    Sexual Immorality (S)
  • none noted

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • scene of liquor store

    Offense to God (O)
  • seven uses of God's name in vain without the four letter expletive and two without

    Murder/Suicide (M)
  • three murders; once by sniper, another by explosion and once by gunfire














  • THIS SPACE RESERVED FOR SPONSORS.
    Interested parties, send us your proposal. Your link will appear on each new analysis report prepared during the desired period and, once placed on a page, will not be removed.














    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.



    The ChildCare Action Project (CAP) is a nonprofit Christian ministry. We rely on public support. If you wish to contribute to the CAP, please send your donations to
    ChildCare Action Project
    Post Office Box 177
    Granbury, TX 76048-0177

    Your gifts are tax deductible in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Codes. Please feel free to write to us.



    You are welcome to go to the
    CAP Reports page
    or go to the
    Top of the CAP Home Page
    or the
    CAP Site Map (Table of Contents)
    or leave me an email message or comment at
    cap@capalert.com



    In the name of Jesus:
    Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you. Prayerfully, we will provide you with some of the most revealing commentary and investigative reporting you have ever read.

    Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP): Christian Analysis of American Culture
    100% dependent on your tax-deductible financial support

    Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry





    Since December 5, 2000



    Christian Long Distance
    The Fundamental Top 500

    We exist only by your tax-deductible donations. PLEASE


    Features PayPal! You do NOT need an account to donate.



    Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry
    A Nonprofit Christian Ministry EIN: 75-2607488

    CAP HOME PAGE