CAP Report MAR-0047, COURAGE UNDER FIRE (1996)

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

Entertainment Media Analysis Report
MAR-0047
Courage Under Fire (1996), R
CAP Score: 48
CAP ID: 1.70

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.

Courage Under Fire was true to the CAP comparative baseline database findings for an R movie (See CAP Methodology). It had very dense foul language, so much so that there were more instances than there were recording blocks on the recording log (a maximum of 60). Thus, the spreadsheet formulae for Imupnity/Hate⁽¹⁾ (I) had to be modified to accomodate the sheer numbers. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) was rank with warfare deaths Hollywood style: the war was NOT in the Gulf, it was in the Hollywood set. Sex/Homosexuality (S) and Drugs/Alcohol (D) were surprisingly sparce for a war movie. Sexual innuendo, parital nudity, and portrayal of drinking to ease worries were among the relatively few examples of unacceptable behavior the investigator noted in these two CAP Investigation Areas. As you might expect, reverence to God or His name was not in the minds of the script writers, so the CAP Investigation Area, Offense to God⁽²⁾ (O), was at the bottom. While instances of violent death by circumstances and indirect means are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime CAP Investigation Area, intentional death at the hands of a human (other than warfare death) is incorporated into the Murder/Suicide⁽³⁾ (M) Investigation Area -- and one instance of suicide was observed. While the movie might be construed as a tribute to the strength and courage of the heroes who fought in the Gulf War, this movie was fiction. If I were a soldier of the Gulf War, I might be offended by Courage Under Fire.

Wanton Violence/Crime received the low score largely due to

multiple realistic "war" deaths and injuries with blood which were in Hollywood, not in the Gulf, some very graphic
burned human carcass
death by explosions and fire
lust after death and dying in the name of war
replays/flashbacks of wartime graphic horrors
military coverups

Impunity/Hate lost all its 100 starting points in the first half or so of the movie due to most foul language and very frequently. Lies to hide wrongdoings did not help the Imupnity/Hate score.

Sex/Homosexuality and Drugs/Alcohol lost but a few points each due to

camera angles to focus viewer on private regions of the actors/actresses
sexual innuendo
partial nudity
portrayal of alcoholic beverage to ease worries and teasing an alcoholic with an alcoholic beverage

Offense to God discovered many uses of God's name in vain with and without the three/four letter word vocabulary.

Murder/Suicide found one graphic suicide by driving a car into the front end of a moving train.

In accordance with the comparative baseline data, Courage Under Fire was equivalent to R-rated material in Wanton Violence/Crime, Impunity/Hate, and Offense to God. It presented no material equivalent to PG-13 or PG in accordance with the baseline database movies. The movie presented material equivalent to G material in Sex/Homosexuality, Drugs/Alcohol and Murder/Suicide. Thus, Courage Under Fire was equivalent to the comparative baseline data corresponding to 50% R-rated material and 50% G-rated material.

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.

Courage Under Fire CAP Scorecard

(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. I pray you will find time to read Special Report-0001. 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 "Movie Review Query Engine at Telerama."

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