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Entertainment Media Analysis Report
A service to our youth though you,
their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word

MAR21064
The Musketeer (2001), PG-13
Analysis Date: September 7, 2001
CAP Score: 58
CAP Influence Density: 1.03




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NOTE: If you do not want the plot, ending, or "secrets" of a movie spoiled for you, skip the Summary/Commentary. In any case, be sure to visit the Findings/Scoring section -- it is purely objective and is the heart of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model applied to this movie.





SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary likely using a mix of KJV and NIV.


THE MUSKETEER (PG-13) -- ...only *one* use of foul language. One. But...

I am very surprised at the writers and choreographers of The Musketeer did not take full advantage of the trend of PG-13 movies (see R-13). I fully expected another 96 minutes of boiler room language that permeates most PG-13s. But this movie presented only one use of foul language. One. But, the major culprits for the score of 58, which makes it a "hardcore PG-13", were violence, murder and, of course, sexual content including nudity. Sexual content caused a score in the Sex/Homosexuality investigation area lower than most of the PG-13s in the comparative baseline database PG-13 movies.

A 17th century Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. That just about sums up the heroics and villainy in this swashbuckler flick of D'Artagnon, Athos, Porthos and Aramis but somewhat lacking in character building and plot building.

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The plot building begins as Febre (Tim Roth), lieutenant in crime to the evil Cardinal Richelieu (Stephen Rea) kicks young D'Artagnon in the face because D'Artagnon back talks him about over-taxing his father. In the melee that ensues, Febre ends up with his left eye destroyed, I think by D'Artagnon. As "punishment", the sick and dastardly Febre murders D'Artagnon's parents. D'Artagnon vows to kill Febre [Rom. 12:19].
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Fourteen years later, after having been trained in swashbuckling by a master, the adult D'Artagnon (Justin Chambers) arrives in Paris to claim his revenge on Febre by joining the King's blue-tunic Musketeers, a breed of elite swordsmen. But by the underhandedness of the evil Cardinal and Febre, the King's Musketeers were no more than a band of drunken revelers, telling and retelling tales of glory and victory of days gone by. The girl in the boy-gets-girl subplot is D'Artagnon's landlady Francesca, American Beauty's Mena Suvari, who becomes just as nude in this flick as in American Beauty. This time instead of rose petals hiding her ... it is soap suds, at least until she stands up for the benefit of display to Chambers [**]. Another example of sexual impropriety was Francesca's relative who was, I believe, her uncle. He was a particularly disgusting man, who was not only a "peeping Tom" as she bathed but one who tried to force himself on her -- sexually. Remember, trumped up and manufactured consequences for the sake of permitting evil deeds to be demonstrated as entertainment don't always justify witnessing the evil deeds. Aberrant behavioral templates may be planted [1 Cor. 15:33].
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In a failed covert maneuver, the Queen (Catherine Deneuve), D'Artagnon and Francesca escape to thwart the plans of Febre and the Cardinal to dissolve what is left of the tenuous peace between France and England. Here is where the distribution of swashbuckling action concentrates. Swordfights in the rafters. Swordfights on ladders. Swordfights on barrels, Swordfights on runaway coaches. Swordfights in midair. Swordfights while dangling by ropes from a castle spire. Xin-Xin Xiong brings huge helpings from his style in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to The Musketeer.
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While this movie possesses only one use of the three/four letter word vocabulary, it does present heavy sexual programming and nonstop violence. Thus, The Musketeer presents a different template than most PG-13 movies. While many may think this to be a relatively tame movie, it still presents the risk of further lowering of the thresholds of moral standards [James 1:12 - 15; Ps. 119:133; Jer. 5:6; Is. 30:1]

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SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S)
If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ]. 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.

  • Rom. 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. ** "Nakedness" (show of nudity) is spoken of as dark, restricted, undesirable, shameful, etc. 47 times in the KJV from Genesis to Revelation. For example, Ezek. 16:36 "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers,..." thus associating wanton nakedness with ill repute. What makes display of nudity okay in art if it is not okay in flesh?
  • James 1:12 - 15 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
  • Ps. 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
  • Jer. 5:6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many. [The "lion", the "wolf" and the "leopard" can be any of the corrupting agents of the modern world, consuming the hearts of they who stray out of His Word and into their own.]
  • Is. 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: [This verse is pointed at children but does not exclude adults.]

    *******Food for Thought*******
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (NIV) Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.
  • Jude 4 For certain men* whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
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    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.




    FINDINGS / SCORING: The Musketeer (2001) CAP Thermometers

    NOTE: Multiple occurrences of each item described below may be likely, definitely when plural.

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W):
  • brutal kick to the face of a child
  • brutal assault on family
  • child planning to kill (vengeance)
  • long sequences of swordplay
  • threat with firearm to head
  • threat with firearm to neck
  • sword threats, blade threats
  • reckless gunfire
  • human on fire
  • brutalization of a young woman
  • gunfire deaths
  • theft
  • gunfire to kill
  • knife threat to child's neck with injury to child
  • choke hold on woman
  • sword death to neck
  • graphic impalements
  • great falls
  • attempted gunfire murder
  • long battle sequence
  • battle deaths
  • threat to kill

    Impudence/Hate (I)(1):
  • one use of the three/four letter word vocabulary

    Sex/Homosexuality (S):
  • admission of sexual crime
  • offer of sexual sale of relative
  • nude woman in tub
  • peeping
  • brief rear full female nudity
  • sexual innuendo
  • man forcing himself on young woman
  • anatomical reference
  • intentional exposure of full nudity
  • inappropriate touching
  • male on female

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
    drinking
  • drunken revelry

    Offense to God (O)(2):
  • one use of God's name in vain

    Murder/Suicide (M)(3):
  • blade murders
  • multiple murders, 2 graphically
  • murder by sword to neck
  • gunfire murder



    NOTE: The CAP Analysis Model makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse or for manufacturing of justification for aberrant behavior or imagery, or for camouflaging such ignominy with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme plot does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure from the sinful display or the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior. This is NOT a movie review service. It is a movie analysis service to parents and grandparents to tell them the truth about movies using the Truth.


    "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 five-year 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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    (1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend," of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impudence/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

    (2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary without God's name in vain is incorporated into the Impudence/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the four letter expletive is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no duplication.

    (3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Portrayal of attempts to commit murder or suicide and deaths by police action or war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.




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