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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 MAR2010.020  (2009), PG-13 [R-13*] (2hr 2min) 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): Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Silver Pictures, Wigram Productions, Internationale Filmproduktion Blackbird Dritte, Lin Pictures • Distribution (US): Warner Home Video • Director(s): Guy Ritchie • Producer(s): Bruce Berman, Steve Clark-Hall, Susan Downey, Peter Eskelsen, Dana Goldberg, Dan Lin, Joel Silver, Michael Tadross, Lionel Wigram • Writing Credits: Screenplay - Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg; Screen Story; Lionel Wigram, Michael Robert Johnson; Characters (Holmes & Watson) - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle • Cinematography/Camera: Philippe Rousselot • Music: Hans Zimmer • Film Editing: James Herbert • Casting: Reg Poerscout-Edgerton • Production Design: Sarah Greenwood • Art Direction: Niall Moroney • Viewed on Warner Home Video DVD  This film analysis is sponsored by the generosity of E&HP. This is a hard film to summarize on paper. It is a mixture of the famous Sherlock Holmes dazzling logic and powers of observation with embracement of all that is unholy. When the two are combined, the fabric of "making sense" is stretched to the point of losing any pattern on the fabric. It it were not for the poetic license to "butcher the king's English", which applies to cinematography as well, there would be little hope for this film "making sense." If it does. The main characters of old literary fame are there: the pipe-puffing, now bare-fisted boxer Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.); the faithful and integral protagonist Dr. John Watson (Jude law); the bumbling Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan). A "new" character is Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) who is foiled by Holmes as he tries to sacrifice his sixth female victim. Moriarty is there as well but I will not tell you who or how lest I spoil too many of the film's morsels of beguilery. Another Holmesian morsel is presented in the character of Irene Alder (Rachel McAdams), an old flame and antagonist of Holmes. Adler is equal but opposite to Holmes. She is as good at crime as he is at solving crime. I said 'old flame' of Holmes because the script reveals she and he had earlier lived together unmarried. Also in the romance department, Watson is shadowed by Mary Mostan (Kelly Reilly) as his intended. They are to be wed eventually but I don't remember if they ever get there in the show. But since Watson will soon snuggle in nuptial bliss he moves out of the apartment he shares with Holmes -- or tries to anyway. I don't think he ever makes it completely out. The story opens with an already-happened plot builder as Scotland Yard chases Holmes to arrest him. While they chase him down is when Holmes foils the dastardly plans of Lord Blackwood to offer his sixth sacrifice to evil. Five women are dead because of Blackwood. With this sixth woman laying on the sacrificial table holding a knife above herself, it is Holmes to the rescue in a dashing last-second block of the plunging blade. Another part of the beginning of the show is more display of Holmes' dazzle ... but not of logic or powers of observation but of physical prowess. In a bare-knuckle bout with McMurdo (David Garrick) where Holmes literally "addresses" his punches (to the audience anyway while we watch) by mentally planning every blow of the final volley then delivering them. Brutally. There is a warehouse of action and intellectual trickery for even the die-hard Holmes fan. The film is also filled with find-the-hidden-picture nuggets of Doyle's Sherlock lore, but I will stop here and leave them up to your discovery should you opt to sit for two hours and two minutes of ... of ... of whatever describes it best. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 In a number of places this film is intensely violent. There is no gore to speak of but there is plenty of brutally realistic violence. Far too much violence to even itemize in this Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area summary. Please rely on the itemized listing in the Findings/Scoring section to discover the depth of the violence content. As you read the listing please carry with you God's admonition against entertaining violence: to not fill you mind and/or heart with it, even in fantasy. [Prov. 16:29] Impudence/Hate (I) - 89 out of 100 I'd like to say "Glory, be!" about the grand total of two uses of profanity in this film of two hours and two minutes but any use of profanity is a sin. [Prov. 8:13, Col. 3:8] (If you don't like those Rules, talk to the One who wrote them.) The reason the area score is not higher since there are only two uses of profanity is the other matters of impudence on the part of the writers such as a lie and flatulence. [Eph. 5:4] Sexual Immorality (S) - 37 out of 100 Unfortunately, Sherlock is a lot more sexual in this, a moral corruption of the Doyle brainchild. The writers chose to present Downey bound in bed fully nude with a small throw pillow hiding only his private parts -- in the front. And the writers added a comment made by Downey about removing the pillow to fetch the key to the handcuffs binding him to the railing of the bed. While that is certainly a stab at the coarse joking God warns us about in Eph. 5:4, it is also purely sexual in nature. Other matters of the sexual nature included addmssion of cohabitation, a woman stripping to nudity in front of a man, crotch hits, an insult using sexual anatomy and a flashback of Downey's nudity. By the Holy Spirit the Apostle Paul wrote about such matters in Col. 2:20 through 2:23. In a nutshell, if we love Jesus why then do we still embrace worldly values and ethics such as are planted in us by such entertainment which emboldens that which it plants? [Col. 2:20 - 23] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 67 out of 100 The usual stuff for most PG-13s: drinking repeatedly, smoking repeatedly and drugging in this one. Offense to God (O) - 13 out of 100 Here is where a lot of the content challenges wholesome honor of His Word, most of it by embracing unholy "magic" ... repeatedly. [Deut. 18:9 - 12] Suggestion of unholy resurrection. Palmistry. Sacrifice. Mockery of Jesus and His Holiness. Abuse of Scripture wisdom. Calling evil good [Isa. 5:20]. And more. Much more. Murder/Suicide (M) - 78 out of 100 Since this is a murder mystery it demonstrates murder. Three times. Once unseen, once by drowning, once by incineration. 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 •• abominations [to`ebah {to-ay-baw'}: a disgusting thing, abomination, abominable; wickedness] •• divination [qecem {keh'-sem}: witchcraft, false prophets] •• observer of times [anan {aw-nan'}: soothsayer, sorceress, enchanter (one who practices divination), to make appear, control weather, conjurer, spiritism, unholy magic] •• witch [kashaph {kaw-shaf'}: sorcerer, sorceress, one who practices unholy magic] •• charmer [chabar {khaw-bar'}: to unite, join, bind together with charms (voodoo)] •• consulter with familiar spirits [owb {obe}: necromancer, one who evokes/communicates with the dead; ghost, spirit of a dead one; one who has a familiar spirit] •• wizard [yidd@`oniy {yid-deh-o-nee'}: one who has a familiar spirit; a familiar spirit; soothsayer; necromancer] [God sounds so serious about embracing evil that it seems He would include embracing evil even in and as entertainment since it has been proven in so many ways that entertainment can and does influence deeply and contaminate values. Even God agrees with that. (see 1 Cor. 15:33).] ***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) - 89 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 37 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 67 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 13 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 78 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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