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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 MAR29005  (2008), PG-13 [Very Hard R-13*] (1hr 45min) 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 1200 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): Overbrook Entertainment, Screen Gems Distribution (US): 20th Century Fox, Audio Visual Enterprises, Buena Vista Sony Pictures Releasing, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director(s): Neil LaBute Producer(s): John Cameron, Jeffrey Graup, James Lassiter, David Loughery, Joe Pichirallo, Will Smith, Orin Woinsky Screenplay: David Loughery, Howard Korder Story: David Loughery Cinematography/Camera: Rogier Stoffers Music: Jeff Danna, Mychael Danna Film Editing: Joel Plotch Casting: Heidi Levitt Production Design: Bruton Jones Art Direction: Paul Sonski, Thomas T. Taylor Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD This analysis is sponsored by the Protestant Congregation of The Chapel of the Good Shepherd. I do not know how popular this film was when it played in theaters, but it is a perfect example of: So slowly we have become so morally numbed by the narcotics of extremes in and as entertainment that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible. -TC- Long time resident LA police officer Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson) and new neighbor Patrick Wilson (Chris Mattson) almost immediately form an understanding as upscale neighbors on Lakeview Terrace. But it is not a good understanding. The understanding was not good to the tune of a final score of 15 out of 100, a very hardcore R-13. PG-13-rated films in the comparative baseline database earned final scores of 55 to 67 out of 100. R-rated films earned final scores of 54 and below out of 100. Its final score of 15 places Lakeview Terrace deeply into the dregs of the R scoring range. And the film earned an influence density figure of 2.30 to confirm the "R-ness" of the film. PG-13 films earned influence density scores from 0.55 to 0.77, the higher the figure the more dense the assaults on morality and decency. R-rated films earned influence density figures from 0.78 to 2.04. I believe the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to be morally dead, puppets of the decaying societal moral standards and completely useless as a service to determine the fitness of a film. I would love for the CAP Analysis Model to replace the MPAA but we are There is more. This film earned investigation area scores of zero in five of the six investigation areas: in Wanton Violence/Crime (W); Impudence/Hate (I); Sexual Immorality (S); Drugs/Alcohol (D); Offense to God (O). The only one of the six investigation areas that found content to yield a score above zero was Murder/Suicide (M) and only because there was only one murder portrayed, graphic though it may be. Mom/dad, I strongly urge you to solemnly inspect this report before considering whether to let your teens (OR yourselves) watch it. Soberly inspect this Summary/Commentary section but more deeply the scoring distribution earned by the film shown by the CAP thermometers and the itemized listing in the Findings/Scoring section (the heart of the CAP Analysis Model)! On to a little more about the story. Newcomers Patrick Wilson and his wife, Lisa (Kerry Washington) took a skinny dip in their pool which, from the second story of Officer Turner's house, was in his plain view ... and that of his children. Further, Abel did not like Patrick's brand of "tobacco." At another time, Abel drew his sidearm and pointed it at Patrick's neck ... just as a jest, of course. The Turner's did not have a swimming pool. Lisa was so smitten with Abel's daughter, Celia (Regine Nehy) and brother Marcus (Jaishon Fisher) that Lisa offered to let the kids swim in her pool ... anytime. Lisa meant with Abel's permission, of course. Celia and Marcus took Lisa up on her offer though without their dad's permission and while Lisa and Patrick were gone to boot. When Lisa arrived Marcus left but Celia stayed by being drawn into a conversation with Lisa. Soon Abel arrived verbally swinging using Lisa's taste in music as a mask for his attack. Abel did not want Celia to hear such music. Abel also took a swing at his daughter for talking back to him about the music. How often Hollywood demonizes parents (and anyone else) who take a stand for the moral standards of children who are too often vulnerable to the often ignoble pleasures of the world (such as much of modern music ... and Hollywood). Heinous as the slap was, it was still a portrayal. A portrayal that undoubtedly will propel many youth into parent-child dissonance since many youths project what they see and hear in film on to real life. [1 Cor. 15:33] As another skirmish of the neighbor warfare, Abel pointed his high power security lamps right at the Wilson's bedroom window. Fed up with it, Patrick stormed to Abel's house where Abel hosted a bachelor party for one of his fellow officers. Aiming to speak to Abel about his lights, Patrick was essentially dragged into the party where Abel proceeded to have the dancing girls sexually assault Patrick ... with a camera running ... for Lisa's benefit. Through an iron fence, Patrick with some lawn implement and Abel with a chain saw, the two participated in attempts to do bodily harm to each other. All this and a great deal more in a dark and sinister setting. There was nothing Abel liked about Patrick or Lisa. Throughout the film are veiled threats and subtle innuendo of physical danger and/or harm. Once the veiled hatred became open, Abel and Patrick escalated the warfare to the point where one of the two had to die. What an example of modern coping skills! And it doesn't get any better than that. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 There are a number of episodes of violence including gunfire to kill, unlawful entry, the use of a firearm to coerce/control, intimidation with a firearm, gunfire injury, trashing of a house by contract with Turner (the police), a threat to commit suicide and police corruption throughout. The enticing properties of such violence, whether real or fantasy, is put in its place rather nicely in Proverbs 16:29. Regarding "whether real or fantasy", a bad influence does not have to be real to influence badly. God further explains the enticing nature of evil and violence in 1 Cor 15:33 by warning us that such evil display ("evil communications") corrupts good descision-making and coping skills ("good manners"). Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Someone speaks some form of profanity or another 61 times during the 105 minutes of this film, plus two use of the most foul of the foul words. [Prov. 22:11, Prov. 8:13] Other matters of impudence and/or hatred include adolescent disrespect of father -- repeatedly, veiled intimidation to extort performance -- repeatedly, non-violent and violent racial animosity -- repeatedly, lies and open urination. [Phil. 4:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 This film is riddled with little and not-so-little stabs and jabs at mature and responsible respect for sexuality: man and woman in bed; flash full male nudity;innuendo regarding intercourse; reference to pedophilia with young girls; adult nudity before children; innuendo regarding male erection by young girl; man and woman nude in pool; adult in underwear; lap and rub dancing; a little girl dancing in a scant swimsuit; more, much more. [Gal. 5:19, 1Ths. 4:1-5, 1 John 2:26] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - Zero out of 100 Booze. Drinking. Drunkenness. Smoking. They are all there. Repeatedly. In addition to God's admonition making drunkenness and other abuses of the body (the Holy Ghost's temple) sinful, the American College of Physicians echoes God's Word, quite probably without even knowing it. 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 kids. 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 from viewing R-rated movies. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was • 46% for those with no viewing restrictions • 16% for those with partial viewing restrictions • four percent for those with complete viewing restrictions. The researchers selected R-rated movies because they assumed R-rated movies typically present more drinking than movies of other classifications. This assumption is no longer true. The researchers were not aware of the matter of "R-13" proven by this ministry in 2000 (see R-13) with which Harvard University scientists agreed four years later (see Harvard Agrees With Us). The bottom line? The focus is that the influence of adolescent exposure to drinking (and smoking) in and as entertainment is undeniable regardless of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) classification. [Eph. 5:18] Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? And emboldening children to sin with drink in and as entertainment screams of violating Luke 17:2. Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 God's name is uttered 19 times, 11 without the four letter expletive and 8 times with it. God is rather stern about using His name in vain. [Deut.5:11] So much so that no one will escape judgment for abusing His name. Is it really worth it to appear conversationally equal with those who do? Murder/Suicide (M) - 90 out of 100 Only once is murder portrayed in this exceptionally dark and evil film for teens. A street goon is hired by turner to trash the Williams' house to extort and frame. When the goon is discovered in the act, rather than being found out Turner shoots and kills the goon to silence him, claiming to have shot in the line of duty. And the murder is graphic. [Prov. 3:31, 62:10] Even 1 Cor. 6:9 - 10 speaks to the extortionist and a lot of others of unrighteous behavior not making it to Heaven. ******* 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 This is a rather long list of Scriptural applications, but considering the content of this film ... - neither fornicators [pornos: a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire, a male prostitute, a man who indulges in immoral sexual intercourse], - nor idolaters [eidololatres: a worshiper of false gods, even mammom (wealth, riches)], - nor adulterers, - nor effeminate [malakos: he who keeps a boy kept for homosexual relations (such as the North American Man-boy Love Association - NAMBLA); a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness; a male prostitute], - nor abusers of themselves with mankind [arsenokoites: one who lies with a male as with a female, sodomite, homosexual practitioner], - Nor thieves, nor covetous [pleonektes: one eager to have more, esp. what belongs to others], - nor drunkards, - nor revilers, - nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. ***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) - Zero out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - Zero out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 90 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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