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

Entertainment Media Analysis Report
MAR-0054
First Kid, (1996)
PG
CAP Score: 74
CAP ID: 0.47

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.


First Kid CAP Thermometers

First Kid  with Sinbad was a movie about the life of the son of the US President: a life of control and submission. Needless to say, this movie provided many, many examples of how a child in such a position could effect unwarranted freedom and independence, even if his life is at stake. Of course, since this movie was to glorify early teen independence and autonomy, the control techniques and teen response to them were exagerated. And all is embedded into a theme of warmth, justice, and compassion. This movie was perfectly applicable of the special alert notice later in this report: that if a movie earns an Investigation Area score which falls within the scoring range for R-rated material in the CAP comparative baseline database movies, the whole movie should be considered R-rated.

Violence was not too severe in First Kid, at least not in comparison to other movies. Kidnapping, gunfire, and death by gunfire sapped some points from the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) initial 100 points. First Kid was saturated with examples of Impunity/Hate(1) (I), typically by and from an adolescent toward fair authority. Examples include, 'acceptable' lying, flipant attitude, and expressions of hatred toward parents and other fair authority. Though the CAP analysis model exposed only a few items of unacceptable material in Sex/Homosexuality (S). While there were no hot and lurid scenes of lust and desire, there certainly was full exposure of an adolescent posterior in a way I would not want my son of daughter to expose him/herself. Drugs/Alcohol (D) content was true to the low-key posture this material seems to be taking in the entertainment media (see CAP Special Report-0001, "Investigation Area Scoring and Trend) -- only once instance of drinking to drown sorrows. The Offense to God(2) (O) Investigation Area also revealed few instances of unacceptable material. However few, each was a violation of the teachings of Jesus. Murder/Suicide found no murders or suicides. While there was one instance of death by gunfire presented by First Kid, note that death by itself is included in the Wanton Violence/Crime Investigation Area. Intentional death by other than lawful action is incorporated into the Murder/Suicide(3) (M) Investigation Area.

Only two instances of extreme material were found: graphic adolescent arrogance against a parent and kidnapping with physical force against the child. Other examples of unacceptable material included:
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.

First Kid CAP Scorecard

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


SPECIAL ALERT NOTICE: Please remember we believe that if only 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 Impunity/Hate 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."




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

Tax exemption applies 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 back to the CAP Reports Page
or
Top of the CAP Home Page
or
CAP Table of Contents

or leave me an email message or comment at

cap@capalert.com





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.

In the name of Jesus:
Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.

Thomas A. Carder
President
ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP)