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MAR26045

(2006), PG [13-PG*] (1hr 26min)

Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
June 15, 2006
67 out of 100
0.59
-66

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Christian Long Distance

SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:
(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary.



(2006), PG [13-PG*] -- ... pug-nosed, ugly, poor.


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Black & White Productions
Distribution (US): Paramount Pictures
Director(s): Jared Hess
Producer(s): Jack Black, Ricardo Del Río, David Klawans, Steve Nicolaides, Julia Pistor, Damon Ross, Mike White
Written by: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess, Mike White
Cinematography/Camera: Xavier Pérez Grobet
Music: Danny Elfman
Film Editing: Billy Weber
Casting: Carla Hool, Carol Lewis, Jorge Valdés García, Jory Weitz
Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6


In Oaxaca, Mexico, Ignacio (Jack Black) is the child of a Scandinavian missionary and a Mexican Deacon. Ignacio works as a monastery cook but has aspirations of making money to provide better food for the orphans. Ignacio decides he is going to do so but wants to do so as a luchador -- a wrestler. Providing better food for the orphans is a noble destination indeed. But a noble destination does not excuse an ignoble path.

On a trip into town to fetch some donated nacho chips for the orphans, Ignacio spies an advertisement to wrestle for money. That did it! Ignacio finally decided to become a luchador.

After fetching the nacho chips, Ignacio is accosted by hungry "street thug" Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez) as Esqueleto tries to steal the nacho chips from Ignacio. It took some verbal coercion but Esqueleto froze in his escape tracks when money came up. At that moment, Esqueleto becomes Ignacio's wrestling partner. Now Ignacio becomes Nacho, the wrestler even though the spark of his heart says wrestling is sin since it is fighting for money and glory.

From The Free Dictionary by Farlex, "nacho" means n: "A small, often triangular piece of tortilla topped with cheese or chili-pepper sauce and broiled" and "possibly diminutive of the name Ignacio or alteration of ñato, pug-nosed, ugly, poor." "Libre", the second term in the title of this film, translates to "free" or "freedom" as in to liberate or liberation.

Makes sense I guess since Nacho, err, Ignacio, gets nacho chips for the orphans for free, since Nacho's name is Ignacio, since he is poor and since Ignacio will "free" or liberate the orphans from the bonds of hunger. But pug nosed, ugly? Black may or may not be ugly in this show but the lack of moral standards demonstrated is. Especially in Ignacio's attempts to woo the spark of his heart, Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera).

Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera) comes into the picture when one of the monastery teachers became unavailable and is replaced by the quite attractive Sister Encarnacion, with whom Ignacio is immediately smitten.

"Encarnacion?" Translated that means "incarnation." I wonder if there is intent in using "Encarnacion" since Esqueleto said things like "I don't believe in God. I believe in science" and since another comment was "Maybe in the next life." The filmmaker's use of "Encarnacion" and the anitGod slams may be just more of those slight and almost invisible "attacks" on Christianity by the antiChristian Hollywood.

I mentioned above that a noble destination does not excuse an ignoble path. The "ignoble path" refers to the somewhat frequent quiet but morally challenging innuendo and imagery in this film. One in particular is the scene where Black pinches his buttocks together while wearing tights in exhibitionism in front of de la Reguera. Precisely the behavior to be emulated by the elementary and middle school crowd, the likely target of this genre of entertainment. [Matt 25:40]

One might say "So what?" Well, such thespian demonstration is just more of drawing attention to the private parts, more lowering of the natural inhibition against such a matter. And making it "acceptable" -- for the "PG" crowd. Which, as with narcotics, will expect more "naughty" as they become the high school crowd ... employees/employers ... leaders ... parents ... rule/law makers ... policy makers ... social engineers ... What goes around comes around. "We have become drugged for so long by the narcotics of extremes in and as entertainment that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible." - TC But God said it best in 1 Cor. 15:33, Eph. 5:4 and other verses.

Nacho Libre earned a final score of 67 out of 100. That places this film one point below the scoring range earned by PG films (86 to 68 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database and right at the top of the scoring range earned by PG-13 films (55 to 67 out of 100). While one point out of 100 might be passed off as skewing or "background noise", the issue is that this film earned a score much less than the typical middle-of-the-road PG film. That makes it a "Hard" PG or a "Lite" PG-13. We call it a 13-PG. "13" for the PG-13 equivalent score it earned and "PG" for the MPAA rating.

The Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area revealed enough matters of violence to make this film equivalent to some R-rated films in violence/crime. Not at all because of the severity of any examples of violence/crime but because of the sheer numbers of examples. See our CAP Rule of 1000 for more information.

As eluded to above, the most severe scoring loss over the six CAP investigation areas (W, I, S, D, O, M) was due to content revealed by the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) investigation area, violence such as wrestling violence [Prov. 3:31-32]. Maybe wrestling violence is not such a big deal ... until one of your kids swings a folding chair at another child. Or a bigger kid holds your child head down and drops him. Or lifts your child up prone and drops him on the knee. One might be thinking "Gimme a break, Kids don't do that." A pair of Denmark parents disagree since their two year old daughter was killed with kicks by older kids pretending to be Power Rangers(tm).

Other instances of violence included street fighting, [petty] robbery/theft, threat with a knife and the comedic slapstick violence [Hab. 2:9, Ex. 20:15]. But in one case Ignacio is set aflame and runs. Without any serious consequences of course. The worst of the consequences was the loss of his robe, exposing his turquoise wrestling tights ... and his secret identity.

Impudence/Hate investigation area revealed programming to cause the next in line scoring loss, mainly due to lies and deceit to influence a woman [Prov. 19:5]. One nice thing about the film is that there were no uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary (except once in rhyme) or the most foul of the foul words. Not in English anyway. [Prov. 22:11]

The Sexual Immorality investigation area revealed programming to lead to the loss of nearly half of the starting 100 area points due to behaviors such as exposure of skin below the navel threatening to expose that which follows, women as toys/ornaments and much attention forcing the viewer on the male posterior and generally drawing attention to typically guarded or hidden areas of the male body, areas not likely permitted to be exposed in the classroom or restaurant. and other public places. Wait! Isn't the big screen public? [James 3:13]

Now to my opinion of Nacho Libre. It is quite probably one of the most empty and lame movies I have ever seen and Jack Black is very well suited for it.

A complete listing of the findings is provided in the Findings/Scoring section.


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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

  • Eph. 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
  • Hab. 2:9 Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin!
  • Ex. 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
  • Prov. 3:31-32 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
  • Prov. 19:5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.
  • Prov. 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
  • James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences and present it to younger and younger audiences every year] when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, pay for it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it. I call attention to Ps. 12:8 to warn of the creeping desensitizing power of "entertainment."]
  • Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man [by his influence] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
  • Rom. 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
  • Jude 1:4 For there are certain men* crept in unawares [secretly slipped in among us], who were before of old ordained to this condemnation [whose condemnation was written about long ago], ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [a license for immorality], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
  • Matt. 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
  • Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. [Offend: skandalizo {skan-dal-id'-zo} - scandalize; to entice to sin; to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey; to cause to fall away.]
  • Ps. 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me [let no sin rule over me].
  • John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  • 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. ["Evil" includes all things that are sinful.]


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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 objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)


    Nacho Libre (2006) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
  • slap to face
  • slapstick violence, repeatedly
  • robbery/theft
  • fighting
  • wrestling violence, repeatedly
  • hit to face
  • threat with knife
  • impalement in eye with corn cob
  • man on fire

    Impudence/Hate (I)
  • lies and deceit, repeatedly, mostly by a man to influence/entice a woman
  • flatulence, repeatedly
  • spreading animal dung on a man's face
  • toilet humor, literally
  • older boy leading younger boy into disobedience
  • suggestion of a three/four letter word in rhyme

    Sexual Immorality (S)
  • below navel skin threatening to expose that which follows
  • attention to posterior
  • innuendo, repeatedly
  • dressing to maximize the human form and/or skin exposure, repeatedly
  • man pinching his buttocks together in tights to influence/entice a woman
  • women as toys/ornaments
  • much attention to what are typically modest areas of the body

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • booze, once

    Offense to God (O)
  • mockery of faith and people of faith
  • "I don't believe in God. I believe in science"
  • "Maybe in the next life"

    Murder/Suicide (M)
  • none noted











  • Christian Educators Association International







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    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 more than eight 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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