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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 MAR27045  (2007), PG-13 [PG-13*] (1hr 31min) 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 1100 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): Oliver Pictures Inc., Village Roadshow Pictures, Vertigo Entertainment, Silver Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution (US): Warner Bros. Pictures Director(s): Oliver Hirschbiegel, James McTeigue Producer(s): Bruce Berman, Doug Davison, Susan Downey, David Gambino, Roy Lee, Steve Richards, Joel Silver, Ronald G. Smith Screenplay by: Dave Kajganich Novel: Jack Finney Cinematography/Camera: Rainer Klausmann Music: John Ottman Film Editing: Hans Funck, Joel Negron Casting: Ronna Kress Production Design: Jack Fisk Art Direction: James F. Truesdale Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6 "PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and terror." That is what the MPAA says. I guess the use of God's name in vain -- WITH the four letter expletive -- is not worth mentioning. Maybe they say nothing about it because it would take up too much room in the ratings box. The Invasion is a remake of the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers with Kevin McCarthy who plays Dr. Miles J. Bennell, a small town doctor who discovers the people of his community were being replaced with alien duplicates: "My husband is not my husband!" In the 1956 version Becky Driscoll (Dana Wynter) is Dr. Bennell's girlfriend. Genders are inverted for the most part in this 2007 remake. The small town physician Dr. Bennell from the 1956 version is still Dr. Bennell in the 2007 version but he is not a small town physician in this 2007 version but is a big city psychiatrist. And he is no longer a he. He is Dr. Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman). And the name Driscoll by Becky Driscoll, Dr. Bennell's girlfriend in the 1956 version is still used in the 2007 version but by Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig), Dr. Carol Bennell's boyfriend. And in this 2007 version, Dr. Bennell has a son, Oliver (Jackson Bond). The 2007 version is somewhat true to the 1956 version but many parallels are embellished to better fit today's society and the writer's literary license. In the original version, a living alien substance plants itself on the Earth and grows huge pods that look like seed pods from which a duplicate of the possessed human host forms while the host sleeps. In this 2007 version, a living alien spore which possesses a human host contaminates a space shuttle which crashes to the Earth spreading a 200-mile swath of the spore contamination from DC to Dallas. Once the spores are introduced inside a human body, the host is doomed. As the host sleeps, s/he becomes an alien-possessed zombie-like copy of the host. Soon, alien possession of humans spreads throughout the world. There are three basic rules to protect one's self from becoming possessed by the spores: do not trust anyone; do not show emotion; do not fall asleep. Though the vehicle of possession is different from the 1956 original, the rules of protection are the same. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) With a final score of 60, The Invasion earned its rightful place mid-range in the scoring range earned by PG-13 movies in the comparative baseline database. Remember, mom/dad. "PG-13" is nothing more than a slice off the top of the pre-PG-13 "R" classification. Therefore PG-13 will contain some R-caliber content (and more and more as society grows -- see R-13). Indeed, The Invasion does. Particularly in violence. To put it more bluntly, the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area found enough content to evaporate all the starting 100 points in this area, making the content revealed by Wanton Violence/Crime fully equivalent to the violence in R-rated films. This means that the magnitude of the violence content in The Invasion is equivalent to that of most R-rated films. Not in the individualized "shock value" instances of violence modern R-rated movies often typify but in the overall or sum violence content. The Invasion is another example of the application of the CAP Rule of 1000 by using dozens of "lesser impact" matters of violence to achieve the same impact of the fewer but more extreme gorific, blood-splattering, gut-exploding violence typical of many R-rated films. [Prov. 16:29] Impudence/Hate (I) Incredibly lite in profanity for the typical PG-13 which usually turns out to be a teen cussfest (and sexfest), The Invasion presents only two uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary. The Invasion is so lite in profanity that even in addition to the few other issues of impudence such as a lie and an alien-possessed human puking in a woman's mouth, The Invasion is "middle of the road" PG in this investigation area as well. Even though there are so typically few uses of profanity, that there are any uses adds to the emboldening of youth to speak likewise. [2 Tim. 2:16 - 17] Sexual Immorality (S) Likewise is The Invasion atypically lite in presentation of sexually oriented content. This investigation area, too, revealed content to be equivalent to most PG films. And "lite" PG films at that. Adults in underwear and female ghosting through thin clothing plus a couple other matters are all that comprise the Sexual Immorality content noted. [1Ths. 4:7] Drugs/Alcohol (D) In terms of content involving alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, tobacco and abuse of prescription drugs, theft of prescription drugs was the only such matter noted. Granted, Dr. Bennell stole the drugs to stay awake and not succumb to the power of the spores. But the CAP analysis model does not care why Dr. Bennell stole the drugs, just that she stole them for consumption. For more understanding of this point, please read the text of the BEFORE You Read On... link atop this Summary/Commentary section. The bottom line: we don't miss context and "messages", we ignore them. Context and messages do not excuse sin. Offense to God (O) Here is where the content gets ugly again. There are eleven uses of God's name in vain in the 91-minute movie, one of them with the four letter expletive. And, of course, not one of them added any power to the script or performances. [Deut. 5:11] Because of the many uses of God's name in vain, The Invasion is akin to the same content typical of many R-rated films. Murder/Suicide (M) While Dr. Bennell kills five zombiefied humans with a firearm, they are defensive killings and are not treated as murder and are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. However two people, who seem to be a child and a parent, commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. Not at all a good example for the target audience age stratum. [Ex 20:13] 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) Impudence/Hate (I) Sexual Immorality (S) Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O) Murder/Suicide (M) |
| 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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