 Click on CAPCon Alert image for explanation |
A service to His little ones (which includes at-home teens) through you, their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word MAR23006 National Security (2003), PG-13 Analysis Date: January 17, 2003 CAP Score: 43 CAP Influence Density: 2.42 MinMax: -88 |
 |
 NO service charges. All donations are tax deductible. |
To subscribe to (or unsubscribe from) our FREE text-only versions of our Entertainment Media Analysis Reports as they are calculated, visit our Mailman. If you experience difficulty with Mailman, send us your request. Your email address will NOT be given or sold to other parties. |
 Production: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Outlaw Productions, The Firm Distribution: Sony Pictures Entertainment Director(s): Dennis Dugan Producer(s): Moritz Borman, Sharon Dugan, Guy East, Andrew D. Given, Michael Green, Martin Lawrence, Robert F. Newmyer, Susan E. Novick, Jeffrey Silver, Nigel Sinclair, Scott Strauss Written by/Screenplay: Jay Scherick, David Ronn Cinematography/Camera: Oliver Wood Music: Randy Edelman Film Editing: Patrick J. Don Vito, Debra Neil-Fisher Casting: Anne McCarthy, Mary Vernieu Production Design: Larry Fulton Art Direction: Christa Munro Earl Montgomery (Martin Lawrence) had all the earmarks of a hot dog cop. Unwanted and ejected from the police academy, Earl is lost for a job in law enforcement. In his perplexed state of mind, Earl locked his keys in his car. Fortunately, he left the driver's window down enough to get his arm through to get his keys from the ignition. While Earl was attempting to fetch the keys, Officer Hank (Steve Zahn) showed up and surmised Montgomery was breaking into a parked car to steal it. Officer Hank proceeds to subdue Earl as a suspect in grand theft auto. While participating in verbal warfare with Officer Hank, a bumbly bee buzzes by which prompted Earl to ask Hank to let him go since he is allergic to bee stings. Officer Hank tried even to swat the bee with his night stick and with his hand as it dive bombed Earl who is now on the ground from trying to avid the bee. Sure enough, the bee stung Earl and later his face swelled up as though he had been beaten. From a distance, it looked as though Officer Hank was beating Earl. A private citizen video taped the whole affair. The emulation of this sequence of the Rodney King white cop, black suspect affair was obvious, apparently to either make a satirical statement about how the merciless LA cops were maybe justified, to make fun of private citizens taping police actions, or to try to make humor of a vicious situation in history. I, however, find it difficult to see the humor in rekindling a now smoldering situation since a year after the King affair and because of the King affair 54 people died, 2,383 were injured, 13,212 people were arrested and about $700 million in property damage happened. Let's get real. Not very funny at all when in the real world, is it? Found guilty of racism and excessive force, Hank is drummed off the force. After six months in jail, Hank seeks work through a security service. Little does Hank know that Earl also has become a guard with the same security service. Through ironic twists and turns the pair become a pair. But this time they are trying to work together to thwart a crime ring. While such a plot may be a good canvas for a comedy, it is not very funny at all to have to listen to 91 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary in 85 minutes [Prov. 22:11, 1Pet. 3:10, Titus 2:6-8, Prov. 4:24], God's name in vain with the four letter expletive, repeatedly [Deut 5:11], and the most foul of the foul words [Col. 3:8] (though only once) as the pair do their deeds. When Lawrence demonstrates inappropriate touch of a woman while she is bound by the hands for sadomasochistic games [Prov. 14:2], it is no longer funny because of the influence of such display on the intended target audience of this PG-13 movie [Luke 17:2]. Though lethal force may sometimes be called for as police defend themselves in the real world, 10 deaths by gunfire and graphic gun battles with police in and as entertainment may not be a good signal to send to our youth let alone we adults. Whether we like it or believe it or not, such imagery plants impressions and some of those impressions are indelible [1 Cor. 15:33]. Many claim, and maybe rightfully, that cinema is art. Well, art is not sin and sin is not art. Art becomes sin when art uses sin, when cinema bemuses sinema. A full listing of our findings is provided in the Finings/Scoring section. Please read through it before you decide whether to let your kids see this piece of sinema. 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. ***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. |
 Wanton Violence/Crime (W): Impudence/Hate (I)(1): Sex/Homosexuality (S): Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O)(2): Murder/Suicide (M)(3): |
 NO service charges!!! Donations to the CAP Ministry are Tax Deductible!!! |
 |
 |
 |
 Christian Media News |
 A Singles Christian Network |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| NOTE: The CAP Analysis Model (the Findings/Scoring section) makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse, for manufacture of justification for, or camouflaging of ignominious content or aberrant behavior or imagery with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme/plot does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure or example of behavior or thought from the sinful display or of the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior. We make no attempt to quantify the "artistic" or "entertainment" value of a movie -- whether a movie has any positive value or "entertainment" value is up to mom/dad. The CAP analysis model is the only known set of tools available to parents and grandparents which give *them* the control they need, bypassing the opinion-based assessment of movies by others and defeating the deceit of those who would say anything to convince their parents otherwise. The model is completely objective to His Word. Our investigation standards are founded in the teachings and expectations of Jesus Christ. If a sinful behavior is portrayed, it is called sinful whether Hollywood tries to make it otherwise. That the sinful behavior is "justified" by some manufactured conditions does not soften nor erase the price of sin. Whether there is application of fantasy "justification" or "redemption" is up to mom/dad. |
| "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. |
