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Reel World Reality 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 MAR2012.050  (2011), NR [PG-NR*] (92.2min) 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 1300 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.)
 Production (US): Mouthwatering Productions Distribution (US): River Rain Productions, Gravitas Ventures Director(s): Tim Chey Producer(s): Davud Turrell, David Smith, Malcolm McDowell, Richard Daniel, Bernie Glaser, Linda Mercorella, Richard Millar, Daniel O'Brien, Marilss Theofanous, Luca Mercorella, Chris Roe, Elizabeth Rogers Written by: Tim Chey Cinematography/Camera: Tom Gleeson Music: David Turrell, Daryl Inglis Casting: Lara Fisher. Douglas White, Alisha Dickinson, Danae Gladman Production Design: Marc Barold Art Direction: E. James Wright, Richard Smith Viewed on Bridgestone Multimedia Group DVD Mainly because of the portrayal of evil powers by and the influence of Satan, this film earned a PG-equivalent final score of 68 out of 100. Indeed, if Suing the Devil had lost only one more point in the final score the film content would be lite PG-13 equivalent. All of the portrayals of evil powers (and all other assaults on morality and decency) are not extreme or intense but several are present nonetheless. Note that imparting of aberrant behavior or thought may happen with gentle and subliminal influence such as in this film even more so than by extreme examples. This film carries the Dove Family Seal of Approval. But as the fitness of the content of a film for your kids is not up to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), that which is cinematically acceptable for your kids is not up to the Dove Foundation. Such authority rests only with you, mom/dad. Both the Dove Foundation and the MPAA use subjective evaluations that can and often are influenced by something as subjective as the mood of the one(s) who decide approval. We don't work that way. We tell you the truth about the content of a film that you might be in a better position to make an informed decision on your own whether a film's content is acceptable for your kids. And we use 80 prescribed investigation standards, not our opinions. Luke O'Brien (Bart Bronson) is a lawyer wannabe salesman who had lost his mother to a drunk driver who is free. Luke blamed God for the loss, wondering why God let Satan get away with so much. Luke transposed his blaming of God to blaming Satan and launched a lawsuit against Satan for $8 trillion. The court system and everybody connected with it thought Luke to be insane but that did not stop Luke. One of the conditions for the judge to accept the lawsuit was for Luke to serve papers on the defendant, Satan. Now there is a trick! So, Luke decided to serve the papers on people and organizations he believed to be driven by Satan: oil companies, Satanists and lawyers. As Luke stood before the judge trying to find a way to sue the devil though Luke was not able to put a summons in the hands of Satan, along comes the devil into the court room announcing he is Satan (Malcolm McDowell). The proceedings now begin. While Luke represented himself, Satan had a team of eight very high-priced, experienced trial lawyers, each with amazing win records and credentials that were so radiant they would glow in the dark. Note the advertisements and other sources say ten lawyers but in two DVD scenes with all lawyers gathered there were only eight. Suing the Devil is not an ordinary film. It is quite clever how the writers worked Scriptures into the script. After all, it is a faith-based film. While some performances, most by unknown and inexperienced performers, were best described as needing improvement, the veteran thespian Malcolm McDowell delivers a superb performance toward the end of the show and through his participation in the film portrays several character persona from humble and polite to evil and threatening to submissive and subordinate to abusive and loud. And such comfort with the pretense of acting may be a danger to the impressionable ... that an extensively experienced and highly talented performer who is very capable of multiple stage faces would portray the most evil one of all creation and do it so well has a potential to make it believable, at lest to the impressionable or to those who have undeveloped or underdeveloped understanding of the Gospel.  The rock culture adopted a "ROCK ON!" hand gesture to communicate emboldenment and recognition between they who embrace the rock culture -- most of them not knowing what the gesture really means. I know my teenage daughter did not know what it meant until I explained it to her. She thought it was just a gesture for expressing camaraderie with the rock-n-roll sphere. The gesture, shown to the right, is the little finger and the first finger raised up and the inside two fingers folded against the palm with the thumb holding them in place. Many who defend the rock culture will try to deny the gesture was adopted from the Satanic ilk. This film sets that disbelief to rest. The Satan character, the most evil persona in existence, in Suing the Devil flashes the mano cornuto "rock on" gesture a number of times. Remember, regarding they who use the gesture while not really knowing what it represents, Satan does not care if you don't believe in him, do not recognize him or even do not believe he exists ... as long as you don't believe in Jesus. For, in Satan's "mind", if you do not believe in Jesus you give Satan exactly what he wants -- your soul. A small sidebar note: The film presented a concept I have been preaching for years -- that a great lie (I call it a trick) of Satan is convincing some that he does not exist. He does not care whether you deny his existence as long as you deny God's existence. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 71 out of 100 Luke apparently contemplates suicide with a fire arm toward the beginning of the show. While such is a device to have a particular thing to say may be important to what the filmmakers want the film to say, saying it at all is dangerous to the already embittered who may watch this show and it give them the added push to complete their ends. Other than that, the only matters of content in this film applicable to this investigation area are the images of chaos and mayhem, the slaps to the face by the Satan character and Luke's threat to kill. Though it is Satan Luke threatens to kill, it is still a threat to kill with physical aggression which communicates, as reported by four professional public health agencies, that violence in and as entertainment may lead the observer to believe that violence is the most effective way to settle conflict and, among other things, may lead the observer, especially the young, to real life violence. Proverb 16:29 puts the matter of violence in good perspective: that violence can be enticing and can lead one into the way that is not good. Impudence/Hate (I) - 60 out of 100 There is not one single use of profanity in the entire 92.2 minutes of the program but there are enough other matters of impudence and/or hatred for the film content to lose more than one third of the starting 100 points for this investigation area. Luke displays an animated outburst and expresses strong hatred of those who have wronged him. [Luke 6:27 - 28] With his firearm in hand, Luke stages a murder of the drunk driver who killed his wife. These matters plus a plethora of name-calling, mostly by the Satan character, and some lying [Rev. 21:8] comprise the impudence and/or hatred content. Sexual Immorality (S) - 89 out of 100 The content which falls into this investigation area is comprised of that which one might expect from the evil sphere of the world: a crotch kick; a woman gamming (displaying her "gams" - underside of her upper legs while sitting in a short skirt/dress with legs crossed); a woman dressing to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure. God has given us many verses condemning sexually immoral acts, desires and displays. It would be counterproductive to include them all or even most of them here. But all of His Word may be summed up as any sexual contact (including touch, sight, sound and thought), conduct or activity outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage is sinful. That includes drives and desires. It is His Wish that we be master of these human elements, not slaves to them. [1 Thess. 4:1 - 5] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 89 out of 100 The only matters of drugs and/or alcohol are a bar scene, one instance of smoking a cigarette and an advertisement displaying a huge bottle of Lou Cifer whiskey. Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Here is where most of the assaults on morality and wholesome ethics appear. There are so many line items of findings by this investigation area that to conserve available space I ask you to inspect the listing in the Findings section to learn of the content applicable to this investigation area. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There were no murders or suicides found. While Luke appears to contemplate suicide, this investigation area incorporates only portrayals of completed murder or suicide. This investigation area does not incorporate attempts at murder or suicide or acts of war, deaths by police action or defensive killings. These portrayals are incorporated by the Wanton Violence/Crime content 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 --> Viewing violence can lead to emotional desensitization towards violence in real life. It can decease the likelihood that one will take action on behalf of a victim when violence occurs. --> Entertainment violence feeds a perception that the world is a violent and mean place. Viewing violence increases fear of becoming a victim of violence, with a resultant increase in self-protective behavior and a mistrust of others. --> Viewing violence may lead to real life violence. Children exposed to violent programming at a young age have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than children who are not so exposed. Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV.] 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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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)   Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 71 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 60 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 89 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 89 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero 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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| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |
