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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 MAR2011.104  (2010), PG-13 [PG-13*] (1hr 52.1min) 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 1300 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.)
 Production (US): American Film Company, The Distribution (US): Lions Gate Home Entertainment Director(s): Robert Redford Producer(s): Robert Redford, Greg Shapiro, Bill Holderman, Brian Flak, Robert Stone, Joe Ricketts, Jeremiah Samuels, Webster Stone Written by: James Solomon Story by: James Solomon, Gregory Bernstein Cinematography/Camera: Newton Thomas Sigel Music: Mark Isham Film Editing: Craig McKay Casting: Avy Kaufman Production Design: Kalina Ivanov Art Direction: Mark E. Garner Viewed on Lions Gate Home Entertainment DVD  I cannot confirm the historical accuracy of this film but it seems a woman, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the "conspirator" in the title, was convicted of being party to conspiring to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln simply because she owned the boarding house in which seven conspirators boarded. Spoiler Alert: If this film is accurate to the character and caliber of John Surratt, he is quite probably the lowest of the low imaginable since he let his mother hang for his own crimes. [Rev. 21:8] For four years attorney Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) defended the North as a Captain for the Union Army. On April 9, 1985, a few months after Aiken's incapacitating battlefield injury, Lee surrendered to Grant at the Appomattox courthouse and the civil war was, for all intents and purposes, over. On the fateful night of April 14, 1865, with the help of Samuel Arnold (Jeremy Tuttle), Lewis Payne (Norman Reedus) and David Herold (Marcus Hester), John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) assassinated President Lincoln and two others of Lincoln's staff at the Ford Theater in Washington, D.C. Two weeks after the assassination Booth was cornered in a barn and was shot to death by Union soldiers. Arnold, Payne and Herold and four others are arrested and charged with conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln. Mary Surratt, a Southerner who had one year earlier moved to Washington, D.C., is also charged with conspiracy if for no other reason than she "harbored" the men in her boarding house. Or is it because her son, John (Johnny Simmons) was friends with Booth? Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline) doesn't care. He vows vengeance: so full of vengeance is he that he does not care who hangs for killing Lincoln -- Mary or her son John -- as long as someone hangs. [Rom. 12:19] Stanton's lust for vengeance is fueled by his concern for the state of the country: that it needs closure to the horror of the assassination. As long as someone hangs for the assassination the country would settle itself. So he thought. Though Surratt is a civilian, she is tried by a military tribunal. In a civilian trial the jury must forward a unanimous vote for the accused to be found guilty. In a military tribunal, only a majority is needed to find the defendant guilty and only two-thirds is required for a death sentence. Further, in a military tribunal the accused is not permitted to testify in his/her own defense. The reigning Attorney General knew this. On top of this manipulation of conditions against Surratt based on mere appearances [John 7:24] former Attorney General and now Maryland Senator Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) -- a Southerner -- who is charged with providing Surratt's defense, orders 27-year old Aiken -- a Northerner -- who has never tried such a case and who doubts her innocence, to build Surratt's defense. Where is the presumed innocence? Following are brief discussions of the content per individual CAP investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 55 out of 100 The Conspirator is by any measure a rather violent film. It is a story of violence in violent times but such does not justify the use of violence in and as entertainment when such violence can and has proselytized the viewer, especially the young viewer -- the PG-13 age stratum. There are knife assaults and a custodial gunfire killing but probably the most intense of the violence is the hanging by the neck of four characters, including a woman. God has tried to warn us of the "catching" nature of violence. [Prov. 16:29, 1 Cor. 15:33] Now man has warned of the same by four public health agencies jointly publishing a warning that entertainment violence can lead the young to real life violence and can warp the perception of violence by youth. Impudence/Hate (I) - 55 out of 100 Profanity is used 12 times. [Col. 3:8, Eph. 4:29] But most horrendous impudence/hate content found was John Surratt letting his mother hang for his crimes. Such cowardice is deeply frowned upon by God. [Rev. 21:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 There was nothing found that could be considered sexually immoral. The only thing that comes anywhere near sexual was the gentle kiss between Aiken and his girlfriend. And it was not a slurping, gaping-face kiss as are most kisses in PG-13 films nowadays. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 11 out of 100 I suspect that drinking is inherent with winning a war but to place such revelry before our youth in and as entertainment is asking for trouble, especially when such behavior carries no consequences in the story. God has warned about drinking [Eph. 5:18] and drunkenness [1 Cor. 5:11]. So has man warned against exposing our youth to drinking and drunkenness in and as entertainment. A 2002 study by the American College of Physicians (ACP) revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. 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% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was There is nothing to say that smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as drinking. Actually, the same matter of behavior influence applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior. Offense to God (O) - 85 out of 100 The only content in this film applicable to this investigation area is the two uses of God's name in vain. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 79 out of 100 There are three murders portrayed in this film. Two by knife and one by gunfire. One of the knife murders is exceptionally brutal though there is no gore to speak of. 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 -> Children who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts. Children exposed to violence are more likely to assume the acts of violence are acceptable behavior. -> Viewing violence can lead to emotional desensitization towards violence in real life. It can decease the likelihood that one will take action on behalf of a victim when violence occurs. -> Entertainment violence feeds a perception that the world is a violent and mean place. Viewing violence increases fear of becoming a victim of violence, with a resultant increase in self-protective behavior and a mistrust of others. -> Viewing violence may lead to real life violence. Children exposed to violent programming at a young age have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than children who are not so exposed. Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV.] 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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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)  Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 55 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 55 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 11 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 85 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 79 out of 100 |
| 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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| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |