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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 MAR29037  (2009), PG [13-PG*] (1hr 38min) 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): Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, 1492 Pictures, 21 Laps Entertainment, Museum Canada Productions Distribution (US): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Director(s): Shawn Levy Producer(s): Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Thomas M. Hammel, Shawn Levy, Josh McLaglen, Mark Radcliffe, Ellen Somers Written by and Characaters by: Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon Cinematography/Camera: John Schwartzman Music: Alan Silvestri Film Editing: Dean Zimmerman, Don Zimmerman Casting: Donna Isaacson Production Design: Claude Paré Art Direction: Michael Diner, Anthony Dunne, Helen Jarvis, Grant Van Der Slagt Viewed on 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment DVD  This analysis is sponsored by the generosity of E&HP. This film contains one of the most self-serving, conniving, deceitful, underhanded, treacherous morally dangerous soliloquies of convenience I have ever heard: "Sometimes it's more noble to tell a small lie than deliver a painful truth." Never mind about that small lie developing tentacles (as lies do) by those who are duped into believing it. And who says it is "small?" What measure is used to declare "small?" For whom is it "small?" In Proverbs 6:16 - 17 God warns us that "There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: ... a lying tongue ... a false witness who pours out lies" A lying tongue -- what part of that do we not understand? The ninth commandment of The Ten Commandments [Exod. 20:2 - 17] is worded a little different but even it warns of lying "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." As a final example, God warns that all [unforgiven] liars will not make it to Heaven [Rev. 21:8]. Just ask yourself "When is a lie not a lie?" If it takes a lie to make something good happen or spare feelings, the conditions surrounding the matter are at fault. A lie will not make them go away. The story is much the same as the likewise PG-rated first Night at the Museum but with a different location and a logically sequential goal. In this second installment in the Museum franchise all the original key characters are there with a new one brought back to life: Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), a lisping evil Egyptian king wannabe from 3000 years ago. In the first Museum it was Kahmunrah's younger brother Ahkmenrah (Rami Malek) who was king from long ago. This time, Kahmunrah wants to usurp Ahkmenrah. It was to Ahkmenrah whom their parents gave the resurrecting tablet, the Tablet of Ahkmenrah with the power to open the gates of the underworld. Kahmunrah wants it to resurrect his armies to plunder and rule the world. According to Kahmunrah, Ahkmenrah was the favorite son who got everything. Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) made good since he left the Museum of Natural History. He invented the glowing flashlight and a couple other cool things that sold well. Now rich, Daley was an entrepreneur to match all entrepreneurs. He lived the high life with his son, Nickie (Jake Cherry) who thought his father's night guard job was the coolest job in the world. Now, Nickie is bored with all the expensive toys his father's wealth had accrued in the two years since Larry left the museum. On a visit to the old job Larry discovers that the museum is undergoing a major renovation that will remove many of the original characters. Larry finds this deplorable. All the characters, even the "demon" Capuchin monkey, are his friends. During a one-more-time thrust to see his old friends, Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams) informs Larry that most of the "family" will be sent to forever storage in the archives under the Smithsonian. Larry feels his friends deserve better. Finding this unacceptable Larry follows the characters to the Smithsonian. With espionage that would rival 007 Larry finds his way into the archives and revives all his friends. In the melee Kahmunrah gets resurrected and does battle with Larry and company to oust his younger brother to become king of the world. As you can tell from the cursory description above, this second installment to the Museum franchise is much the same as the first. The following comparative scoring data display should help you envision the similarities if you have seen the first Museum.  The slope of the columns of "mercury" in the thermometers shows a similar trend in content: both films earned R-equivalent scores (54 or less out of 100) in Wanton Violence/Crime (W); both films earned perfect scores (100 out of 100) in Drugs/Alcohol (D) and Murder/Suicide (M); both films earned close to the same loss in Impudence/Hate (I); both films earned close to the same loss in Offense to God (O). While the 2006 film lost very few points to the content revealed by the Sexual Immorality (S) investigation area, the 2009 film lost a significant portion of the investigation area starting 100 points due mainly to all the animated nudity that was not present in the 2006 film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 Violence content was mixed with crime this time. Daley broke into the Federal archives using an ID badge he stole from a Federal security officer. The violence content is largely due to action violence of varying intensities, hostage-taking with blades to control and blades to the face intimidation. As with many PG films there are no particularly severe or graphic instances of violence but there are so many instances of violence of the "lesser" kind that the film presents the optics (or "feel") of a much more severely rated film. See our CAP rule of 1000 for more information on this relatively new technique of loading or weighting of behavioral/imagery content to achieve the "feeling" of a more severely rated film. Though much of the violence was "slapstick" in nature some of it was not. Any violence can create a desensitized perspective of the harm that can be caused especially when experienced in and as entertainment. Our Father has much to say against any form of violence, especially its influence on others. One example is found in Prov. 16:29. Impudence/Hate (I) - 66 out of 100 There are two uses of profanity in this film. One of them is an implication of the most foul of the foul words by placing a non-profane word in such a way as to emulate the foul word. [Col. 3:8] It was so obvious what the writers were trying to do that it was nauseating. Other forms of impudence, either on the part of the characters, the actors or the writers include despicable excusing of lying, involving an underage child in crime (trespassing, in a "Riley" role [National Treasure]) [Matt. 18:10, Luke 17:2] and a son defying his mother's command. [Exod. 2:12] Sexual Immorality (S) - 59 out of 100 Aside from the revealing and flimsy pants Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) wore and some of the poses she took for obvious reasons, the writers inserted a great deal of animated nudity. An animated "The Thinker" sculpture challenged the threshold of acceptability (just because there is nude art does not make nudity acceptable, including that in the Sistine Chapel). In addition, three Cupids flew around repeatedly in all their nude glory. [**] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 There was no possession, use or consumption of any alcoholic beverage, any illegal drugs and no abuse of prescription drugs noted in the entire 98 minutes of the show. Offense to God (O) - 59 out of 100 As in the first Museum film, unholy power is used to give life to inanimate things throughout the latter 3/4 of the show. Remember, an influence does not have to be real to influence. Further God's name was abused six times though each time was without the four letter expletive. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders or suicides were noted. The attempts to murder by spear were incorporated into the Wanton Violence/crime investigation area. 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 ***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) - 66 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 59 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 59 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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