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Reel World Reality 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 MAR2012.011  (1985), NR [R-NR*] (81.25min) 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): Gospel Communications, Gospel Films, Inc. Director(s): Erik Jacobson Producer(s): Jim Kempner, Erik Jacobson, Joe Sarmiento, Hope Burseth Written by: Erik Jacobson Cinematography/Camera: Don Burgess Film Editing: Timothy Huntley Viewed on Gospel Communications Home Entertainment DVD When finished with the number crunching I was amazed at just how violent this film is. Not because of the intensity or severity of individual episodes of violence and/or crime but because of the sheer numbers of examples of violence and crime of lesser severity (see our CAP Rule of 1000 publication for more information about this content loading technique). There is no gore nor guts splattered on the wall behind a victim but there is violence nonetheless. Some of episodes of violence such as the spousal abuse are rather disturbing. In a large part due to the violence content and due to the drinking and drunkenness, this film earned a final score of 52 which places it just under the R-equivalent threshold of 54 and below out of 100, thus the "R-NR" CAP rating. In this true story, Los Angeles native Raul Ries (Tom Silardi) has been brought up in a dysfunctional home due to the abuse by his drunkard father and the cowardice of his mother. [Rev. 21:8] Ries learns to use intimidation to get his way. He is often in trouble for assaulting other high school students and is expelled as a danger to them. On his way off school property on the first day of his latest expulsion Ries joins a Kung Fu studio. Using Kung Fu to compensate for his own insecurity, Ries demonstrates his bravado and lands in court for assault with a deadly weapon. Given a choice to serve time or serve his country, Reis joins the Marines and becomes a top notch warrior in Vietnam ... until the pressure breaks him down and he threatens the life of his captain if the captain sends Reis back into the fray one more time. Psychiatrists try to resolve Ries' intense hatred and explosiveness but to no avail. By inexplicable means Ries is given an honorable discharge from the Marines. Nearly as soon as Reis returns to his high school sweetheart, Sharon (Joy Vogel) she becomes pregnant and the two wed. Soon Ries gets fed up with his grocery store clerk job and starts a Kung Fu studio for which he had been training since high school. Episode after episode of unfaithfulness, lying and confrontation with almost anyone who spoke to him Ries plans to kill Joy and himself if she made good on her threat to leave him. One can probably see the multitude of opportunities for the story to build ... and it does. But I will not spoil the story any further. This is a production of lower value which might be on the same level as a college project but what it has to say is bold and possibly life-changing for some. Gil Gerard (Six Million Dollar Man™) co-stars but his part is so minor that his obviously seasoned talents are of little value to the total production. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 The magnitude or total envelope of the violent and/or criminal nature in this film drained the starting 100 points in this content investigation area to zero. The violence/crime content of this film is so extensive that even summarizing the content would take up too much space here. Please look to the listing in the Findings section for a full accounting of the violence/crime content. However, it might be advisable to take enough space to remind our readers of God's position regarding violence. In many verses throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament God speaks darkly of violence. In particular, with Proverb 16:29 God warns that violence can be "catching": that violence can lead one into the path that is not good. And as if to say God's Wisdom is measurable by man's wisdom, four professional public health agencies plagiarized God's Word by publishing their finding that warns viewing violence in and as entertainment can, among other things, lead the viewer, especially the young, to real life violence and can lead the viewer to believe violence is an acceptable means of settling conflict. Impudence/Hate (I) - 26 out of 100 There is no profanity whatsoever and I was impressed the writers and performers were able to communicate the intended emotions without profanity. But other matters of impudence and/or hate drag the content investigation area score into the R-equivalent realm. The same matter of available space limits what I can offer in summary here. Again, please look to the listing in the Findings section for a full accounting of the impudence/hate content of this film. God warned us of seven things He hates in Proverb 6:16 - 19. The first in that list is "A proud look" or "haughty eyes." In other words, arrogance / impudence. On a side note, impudence is the strongest presence in modern entertainment as revealed by our Attitude: In Perspective report. Sexual Immorality (S) - 92 out of 100 There is no nudity of any kind in the entire 81.25 minutes of programming and not one character gets in bed with any other, but there is an episode of implied immoral intercourse leading to pregnancy. Note that there is nothing at all immoral about the baby but there is in the act which brought they baby about since the characters were not married. Even if they were, such activity is not for the big screen. [Hebr. 13:4] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 22 out of 100 Adult drinking and drunkenness.. Teen drinking and drunkenness. And smoking. Cinematic elements found highly influential by the American College of Physicians (ACP). 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 viewing smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking. Actually, the same matter of behavior implantation applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior. Offense to God (O) - 71 out of 100 After Ries asked Joy to marry him, Joy told him she wanted to marry a Christian. At that "prompt" Ries told Joy he was a Christian and used that as a tool to get her to have sex with him. Ries lied about being Christian and used it to influence Joy to participate in an immoral act. [1 Cor. 8:9] Ries placed a stumblingblock in Joy's path. Once the pair were married, Ries practiced adulterous interests repeatedly. [Ezek; 23:27] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders or suicides were noted. Ries planned to murder his wife and then commit suicide but only completed murders and suicides are incorporated into this investigation area. Attempted/planned murder and/or suicide are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime content investigation area as are defensive killings and deaths by war and police action. 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) - Zero out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 26 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 92 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 22 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 71 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 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 |
