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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 MAR2011.048  (2010), PG [R-PG*] (1hr 19min) 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.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Davis Entertainment, Electric Dynamite Distribution (US): Fox Home Entertainment Director(s): Rob Letterman Producer(s): Jack Black, Mike Bodkin, Ben Cooley, John Davis, Gregory Goodman, Cliff Lanning Screenplay by: Joe Stillman, Nicholas Stoller Book: Jonathan Swift Cinematography/Camera: David Tattersall Music: Henry Jackman Film Editing: Alan Edward Bell, Maryann Brandon, Nicolas De Toth, Dean Zimmerman Casting: Priscilla John, Jeanne McCarthy Production Design: Gavin Bocquet Art Direction: Robert Cowper, Phil Harvey, Peter Russel Viewed on Fox Home Entertainment DVD  With Jack Black at the thespian helm of this film one need not be concerned about the moral caliber of it. Its moral caliber is true to his history in spite of his apparent attempts to cleanse his image by appearing in children's shows such as Yo Gabba Gabba™. But once an actor has displayed a style, visual or spoken, it doesn't go away. Black's performances in films such as Nacho Libre, Shallow Hal and Orange County leave character marks that don't wash off. Black certainly seems to enjoy taking off his shirt, as if it is his trademark to do so. Or maybe he is trying to make crotch shots with his legs in the air his trademark. Or maybe it is pelvic thrusts. Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black) is a mail room clerk for the New York Tribune and is a braggart, wanting everyone to think he is more than he is. With one of his lies, Gulliver convinces the Travel Editor, Darcy Silverman (Amanda Peet) to send him on a trip to Bermuda to investigate some new findings about the Bermuda Triangle. As Gulliver boats to the suspected area he is swept up into a water spout and ends up on the shores of Lilliput. There, he finds all the inhabitants to be about 6 inches tall. The Lilliputians, thinking Gulliver is a monster sent by the Blefuscu kingdom to destroy Lilliput and take it over. After a period in the Lilliputian dungeon, Gulliver single-handedly defeats the entire Blefuscian Armada and finds favor with King Theodore (Billy Connolly), Queen Isabelle (Catherine Tate) and Princess Mary (Emily Blunt). Soon Gulliver becomes the Lilliputian Prosecutor and displaces the disaffected General Edward Eduardian (Chris O'Dowd). One of the many twists from the original was Gulliver ending up in Brobdingnag where he was a "little people" and captive in a doll house of a young girl. Part of the typical "humor" of Black's style was him putting out a large Lilliputian fire by urinating on it. And if you like Jack Black without a shirt this film is for you. One more, a Lilliputian is crammed up the anus of a giant. That is the caliber of this production. Gulliver also has the Lilliputians, who are master builders, build him an opulent house and a replica of Times Square plus a vast opera house where he stages fatuous remakes of popular performers and performances such as Romeo and Juliet and KISS. Jack Black is as irritating as ever. Almost as irritating as Chris O'Dowd as the self-serving General. Amanda Peet is intensely miscast. As expected of a Black film, Gulliver's Travels, suitable for any PG audience according to the MPAA, earned a CAP rating much lower than the MPAA gave it. The content of Gulliver's Travels is clearly equivalent to many R-rated features, making it a R-PG (a film rated PG earning a R equivalent CAP final score). This R-PG earned R-equivalent investigation area scores (54 and below out of 100) in Wanton Violence/Crime (W), in Impudence/Hate (I) and in Sexual Immorality (S). What else is to be expected when other Black performances such as Nacho Libre rated PG earned a 13-PG CAP final score, such as Shallow Hal rated PG-13 earned a R-13 CAP final score, such as Orange County rated PG-13 earned a hard R-13 CAP final score. Etc. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 41 out of 100 To start out the violence envelope of this film the filmmakers had Gulliver brave storm perils. Once on the Island of Lilliput, action violence of varying intensities repeatedly besought the viewer as battles ensued. Other matters of the violent/criminal nature included arson, animated arguments, slapping, decayed flesh and attempted kidnapping. While all the violence was "sanitized" to fit into "clean violence" for kids' films, the influence of exposure to violence in and as entertainment is not as vulnerable to toning it down as one might think. The difference between, for example, seeing a blade penetrate flesh and seeing only the wielder thrust the blade might be a matter of intensity but the violence of the blade action is still there. God warned us about embracing violence a couple thousand years ago [Prov. 16:29]. Then man, in the form of four professional public health agencies, decided to plagiarize God's wisdom with a warning about viewing violence. One of their findings reveals that viewing violence may lead to real life violence. Real smart these Earthlings are, aren't they? Sooner or later those Earthlings will discover that "violence" in "...may lead to real life violence" can be replaced with just about any behavior-related word. For example, "viewing sex may lead to real life sex" or "viewing rebellion may lead to real life rebellion." God knew what He was talking about when he warned us that bad company (evil communications) corrupts good character (manners) [1 Cor. 15:33]. Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Ten times someone, typically Black, utters some form of profanity [Col.3:8]. But the strongest presence of impunity is in the form of crude/rude humor such as a 6-inch man forced up an giant's anus [Eph. 5:4], bondage, lies, feeding of lies and excusing lying with fear of telling the truth, and more. [Rev. 21:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 The content of this film applicable to sexual immorality includes many things such as a Black pointing out a woman's breasts when he is asked by her "What do you love about me?", a little girl forcing her dolls to "make out", a reference to oral sex, a man in the shower, urinating on a fire to put it out, and much more Please look to the listing in the Findings/Scoring section (the heart of the CAP Analysis Model) of this report for a complete itemization of the sexual immorality content. [Mark 7:21 - 23] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 92 out of 100 The only matters applicable to illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco or abuse of prescription drugs were the two scenes with alcoholic beverages. Offense to God (O) - 70 out of 100 Six time someone used God's name in vain though without the four letter expletive [Deut.5:11] and once someone called another "fool" [Matt. 5:22]. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There were no murders or suicides noted. 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 ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** 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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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 41 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zereo out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 92 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 70 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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