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A service to our youth through you, their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word MAR22072 Reign of Fire (2002), {G-13 Analysis Date: July 12, 2002 CAP Score: 59 CAP Influence Density: 0.83 MinMax: -100 |
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REIGN OF FIRE (PG-13) -- ...quite respectable computer aided graphics was the "main attraction." Production: Spyglass Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures Distribution:Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Pictures Director(s): Rob Bowman Producer(s): Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Derek Evans, Jonathan Glickman, Bruce Moriarty, Dean Zanuck, Lili Fini Zanuck, Richard D. Zanuck Written by/Screenplay: Torsy: Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka. Screenplay: Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka, Matt Greenberg Cinematography/Camera: Adrian Biddle Music: Ed Shearmur Film Editing: Thom Noble Casting: Priscilla John Production Design: Wolf Kroeger Art Direction: Ian Bailie, Jonathan McKinstry, Alan Tomkins, Justin Warburton-Brown  Near the turn of this century near London, Young Quinn Abercromby (Christian Bale) trots his way amidst heavy construction equipment to see his mother (Alice Krige), a supervisor in excavation operation. Entering the excavation digs, Quinn is asked by one of the workers to crawl through a hole in the tunnel wall too small for an adult man to inspect the cavern beyond. Finding something very odd and definitely alive, Quinn races to momma who follows him back to the underground critter which proceeds to threaten the Quinns. Scampering to escape using the lift, Quinn's mother is killed but Quinn escapes. About 20 years into the future we find the Earth desolate of organized civilization. Quinn and his mother had released a dormant species of flying, fire-breathing dragons. The one Quinn and his mother found was the bull which, like fish reproduction, fertilized 'millions' of dragons eggs, which soon became 'millions' of dragons. Fire-breathing dragons. Dragons that ate everything in their path. And burned everything in their path. Between the turn of the century when the bull was revived and 2020 the dragons laid waste to the most of civilization. Quinn became the leader of a pocket of people surviving in the ruins of a castle. Life was routine and as content as was to be expected. Then, amidst a sudden armed preparation for a melee, Quinn watches American military marvel, Denton Van Zan (Matthew McConaughey), the Dragon Slayer roll up to the castle in a tank followed by a number of soldiers in personnel transport vehicles ... and a helicopter. Van Zan was looking for temporary housing for his well-armed band of dragonslayers ... and was going to get it, one way or the other. Protective of his brood, Quinn refused Van Zan who is a determined as is Quinn. After a male bonding fight between Quinn and Van Zan, Quinn offers to help Van Zan. After another male-bonding episode, this time of killing a dragon together and three deaths, Quinn and Van Zan bond as a fighting unit vowed to exterminate the bull dragon to rid the world of all dragons since the bull dragon was the only male dragon. There is not much more that can be said about the storyline of Reign of Fire. The quite respectable computer aided graphics was the "main attraction." Indeed, the dragons appeared as real as your family dog. Motion, features even the flame-breathing aspects were well coordinated and hard for the impressionable mind to realize as fantasy due to very good realism. And that may be the strongest problem with younger kids watching this PG-13 [Phil. 4:8]. While Quinn does fall in love with chopper pilot Alex (Izabella Scorupco), there was no sexual programming note at all. While there were many brutal and gory action violence deaths, there were no murders or suicides. Reign of Fire was also lighter than typical in foul language. Though lighter than most PG-13s in foul and vulgar language, the three/four letter word vocabulary was well represented [Prov. 8:13]not only with God's name in vain both with and without the four letter expletive [Deut. 5:11] but with a peppering of what the MPAA calls conversational snippets [Col. 4:6]. The listing in the Findings/Scoring section will reveal all that was found. ******* SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ]. 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. CHAPTER/VERSE *******Food for Daily Thought******* 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): |
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| 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 or example 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 nearly seven 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. |
