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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 MAR2012.080  (2012), PG [13-PG*] (82.25min) 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 1500 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): DreamWorks Distribution (US): DreamWorks Home Entertainment Director(s): Eric Darnell, Conrad Vernon, Tom McGrath Producer(s): Mireille Soria, Mark Swift, Holly Edwards Screenplay by: Eric Darnell, Noah Baumbach Music: Hans Zimmer Film Editing: Nick Fletcher Casting: Leslee Feldman, Christi Soper Hilt Production Design: Kendal Cronkhite-Shrindkin Art Direction: Shannon Jeffries Viewed on DreamWorks Home Entertainment DVD It might be useful to remind our readers the CAP Analysis Model treats any onscreen animated behavior that could reasonably be duplicated by children as equally influential as the same behavior performed by live performers: that, for example, animated violence has as much power to desensitize and embolden the youthful viewer as does violence by live performers. Indeed, portraying an aberrant behavior as an animated feature does not absolve the performance of negative influence. A bad influence does not have to be real to influence badly. The Central Park Zoo crew; the lion Alex (voice of Ben Stiller), the hippo Gloria (voice of Jada Picjett Smith), the zebra Marty (voice of Chris Rock), the giraffe Melman (voice of David Schwimmer) travel to Europe in hopes of finding a chance to get back to New York. At Monte Carlo, Captain Chantel Dubois (voice of Frances McDormand) of local animal control gets wind of the zoo crew after they literally fall into a casino. Los fugitivos escape the clutches of Captain Dubois by hitchhiking a ride on a circus train. There they meet a number of circus regulars such as the Russian tiger Vitali (voice of Bryan Cranston), the cheetah Gia (voice of Jessica Chastain) and sea lion Stephano (voice of Martin Short). Lying about their expertise, Alex convinces the circus animals to let the zoo crew tag along and show new techniques such as the Americano Trapeze. But Dubois is always on their "tail" through Europe and all the way to New York since she does not have a lion ... trophy on her wall. The film is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for mild action and crude humor. The CAP Analysis Model finds enough content for the overall magnitude to be equivalent to some films rated PG-13 in the comparative baseline database of film analyses, thus making this picture a 13-PG*. It is indeed equivalent to some R-rated films in violence (W) and impudence/hate (I). The lack of gore typical of R-rated features does not purify the violence or insulate the young viewer from its influence. 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 violence content of this film comes mostly in the form of repeated sequences of action violence of varying intensity. Additional matters such as threatening another with a knife and broken bottle, multiple physical assaults and attempted murder by drugs combine with criminal acts such as breaking and entering to yield an overall violence/crime content equivalent to many R-rated features. God has a strong position regarding violence. Of His many admonitions against violence from Genesis to Revelation, Proverb 16:29 puts the matter rather succinctly. In Proverb 16:29 God warns that violence is enticing: that it is "catching"; that it leads one into the way that is not good. Several centuries after God "published His findings" about violence, man plagiarized God's Word by four professional public health agencies publishing their findings which warn that viewing violence in and as entertainment can, among other things, lead the viewer, especially the young, to real life violence and to believing that violence is an effective means of settling conflict. Impudence/Hate (I) - 31 out of 100 While there are no uses of profanity there are three maskings of profanity, i.e., innuendo of profanity, once of the most foul of the foul words. Other examples of impudence and/or hateful demonstrations include rudeness, reckless disregard for personal safety, a child being forced up the anus or vagina of an elephant and lying -- quite a bit of lying. God has some serious consequences for unforgiven lying. One of the consequences is denial of entrance into Heaven. [Rev. 21:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - 64 out of 100 Sexually immoral content includes mostly what the writers apparently feel are boiler room caliber crude humor such as innuendo, reference to nudity, repeated attention to and display of a human-like posterior, exaggerated female anatomy and staring at it, women as toys/ornaments and pelvic thrusts. These ignominy each and all may seem innocuous. If they do it is because of the incessant exposure to them causing us to become desensitized to their evil. God warns us that if the sentence against (consequences for) an evil work, even against wholesome ethics such as displaying sexual immorality, is not quickly carried out, we become hungry for more and more of it and in increasing severity, indeed expect it by caving in to its influence. [Eccl. 8:11] God calls such teases and enticements "delicacies" to which we must not let our hearts be drawn. [Ps. 141:4] The dissonance created by men creating such "delicacies" which violate His Word and our submission to them even though we know that by His Word we must not is an example of an element of the Spiritual war we live with every day. Be strong and submit only to His Word. Invoke consequences against the men who place such evil work before our children by not being customers/patrons of their work. The creators of such evil work will soon get the message when their income suffers. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 88 out of 100 The only content noted applicable to this investigation area is the repeated use of drugs (tranquillizers) to control characters and smoking (once, of bananas). Offense to God (O) - 92 out of 100 Fortunately, God's name is not abused even once throughout the 82.25 minutes of the movie. But gambling is noted as is imagery of a devil. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders or suicides were noted. An attempted murder with drugs was noted but it was incorporated by the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) content investigation area. Attempts at murder or attempts at suicide as well as deaths by police action, war or defensive killing are not incorporated by this content investigation area, only portrayals of completed murder and/or suicide. 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) - 31 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 64 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 88 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 92 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 |
