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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 MAR29030  (2009), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (2hr 22min) 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): DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Hasbro, Di Bonaventura Pictures Distribution (US): Paramount Home Entertainment (DVD) Director(s): Michael Bay Producer(s): Kenny Bates, Michael Bay, Ian Bryce, Allegra Clegg, Matthew Cohan, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner, Don Murphy, Steven Spielberg, Mark Vahradian Written by: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman Cinematography/Camera: Ben Seresin Music: Steve Jablonsky Film Editing: Roger Barton, Tom Muldoon, Joel Negron, Paul Rubell Casting: Denise Chamian Production Design: Nigel Phelps Art Direction: Julian Ashby, Jon Billington, Sean Haworth, Naaman Marshall, Ben Procter Viewed on Paramount Home Entertainment DVD  This analysis is sponsored by the generosity of EH&P and McK. The comparative data below for the two versions of Transformers, 2007 and 2009, is uncanny to say the least. Both versions earned identical final scores of 32! Each is a hardcore R-13. And they are both R-13 for the same reasons: in the same investigation areas with relatively minor differences! The 2007 version displays a teeny bit less contempt for sexual humility than the 2009 version and the 2009 version shows a smidgen less contempt for God. While the 2007 version was drug-free, alcohol-free and tobacco-free the 2009 version had mom ingesting illegal drugs in some sort of food and getting high from it. And while there was a murder in the 2007 version there was none in the 2009 version. Everything else is saturated, causing the most parallel scoring distribution between an original version and its sequel I have ever seen. So, if you saw the 2007 version and felt it to be too offensive you can bet the 2009 will feel the same -- and for the same reasons in the same content areas. Following is proof by comparative.  Note, however, the general increase of the 2009 version in Examples per Hour (density) scores. Understand that Area Scores displayed as zero can indeed be and in many cases actually less than zero. But for display purposes, below-zero area scoring is meaningless. Analysis model display limiters prevent display of scores less than zero. But display limiters do not affect the investigation area Examples per Hour values. The higher examples per hour densities of the 2009 version over the same in the 2007 version are the reason for the increase in the Influence Density (ID) score from 1.60 to 1.82 which, by the way, corroborates the "R-ness" of both films since films in the comparative baseline database earned influence density scores from 0.75 to 2.04. It is the same story with new material to make it a sequel. Little exists to make this version exceptional. Last time it was Witwicky's grandfather's eyeglasses the Transformers were after. This time it is Witwicky's brain ... or rather what is in it. And Megatron, the quintessential Decepticon, is resurrected from the briny deep. And it is all embedded in the power of the Sun. About 17,000 B.C. on the once powerful and just planet of Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers, was a titanic battle between the parent Cybertron empire - policed by the Autonomous Robotic Organisms Transformers (the Autobots), and the Decepticon Transformers - the evil faction of the good versus evil battle. The war ultimately consumed Cybertron. The All Spark Cube, the powerful device that gave existence to the Transformers, was lost into space to finally rest on earth. The General of the Decepticons, Megatron, a.k.a. NBE One (non-biological extraterrestrial) had crash landed on Earth to retrieve the Cube but laid dormant for millennia in the deep ice of the Arctic. In the 1930s, explorer Captain Archibald Witwicky (William Morgan Sheppard), Sam's grandfather disturbed Megatron which started a massive movement to destroy all mankind. Megatron imprinted a map of the location of the Cube on Capt. Witwicky's eyeglasses. The Autobot Transformers had come to Earth to hide a sun-destroying weapon and a key to operate it. Decepticon Transformers, headed by Megatron (the equivalent of Darth Vader of Star Wars™ fame with the voice of Hugo Weaving) under the command of the Fallen (voice of Tony Todd, the equivalent of the Emperor in Star Wars), have come to the Earth to use that weapon to destroy Sol to gather its energy since the All Spark (the Cube) was made useless to the Decepticons in the last episode. The Cube had the power to transform Earth's machines into Transformers. Only a sliver of it remains but a sliver is enough -- Samuel "Sam" James Witwicky (Shia La Beouf) has it. Optimus Prime (voice of Peter Cullen) and his band of merry Autobots: Bumblebee (voice by replay of famous radio voices); Ironhide (voice of Jeff Harnell); Jazz (voice of Darius McCrary); Ratchet (voice of Robert Foxworth), with the help of "LadiesMan217" Sam and his girlfriend, Mikaela Barnes (Megan Fox), fight the Decepticons to prevent them from destroying Sol and inherently all of mankind. On the surfaced there seems to be little point to the plot and story ... just a lot of heavy noise, violence and eye candy. But paying close attention reveals a somewhat complex but lengthy yet well-woven plot in spite of the flash-bang, boom-boom-thumpa-boom and sometimes frustrating surface. It is an age-old story of good guys versus bad guys. Usually the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black hats but in this case the good guys have blue eyes and the bad guys have red eyes. The theme and story is so much the same as the 2007 version there is little benefit is going into any greater detail about it. The 2009 version is just as violent, just as sexual, just as profane and presents just as much contempt for God's name. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 There is just as much killing and assaults to kill, just as much intense sci-fi action violence in this latest version of the Transformers franchise as in the first version. One scene of death stands out as the Decepticons destroy an aircraft carrier and the viewer sees from below many drowned and drowning bodies slowly sinking into the ocean. In words these matters do not have the impact and sensory engulfing power of modern filmmaking technology. There are so many examples of individual acts and lengthy sequences of violence and assault that it would take more time and space than is merited when each is itemized in the Findings/Scoring section above (the heart of the CAP Analysis Model). Please look to the Wanton Violence/Crime list in the Findings/Scoring section for a complete accounting of the examples of how this film violates God's Word about violence [Prov. 16:29]. Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 There are 49 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary in this film plus one use of the most foul of the foul words. [2 Tim. 2:16, Col. 3:8] Cruelty [Prov. 11:17], lies [Rev. 21:8] adolescent disrespect of parents [Eph. 6:2] and one case of alien flatulence [Isa. 13:11] fill out the loss of points required to give the film's content found by this investigation an equivalence to many R-rated films in the comparative baseline database. Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Megan Fox again wears clothing (I say "clothing" loosely) and assumes poses to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure and to draw attention to the female-specific anatomy for much of her screen time. It seems the only contribution of Fox is eye candy. In addition, one of the Decepticons takes on the form of a female human and displays her under-dress skin abundantly, including panty-covered crotch skin as she crawls atop Sam to French-kiss her tongue-tipped 10-foot appendage down his gullet. Sex talk, sexual innuendo, a lap dance, rear male g-strap nudity and sexual invitations, including an invitation to cohabitate, abound throughout most of the entire 142 minutes of the show. And Mojo, Sam's dog tries to have intercourse with another dog ... twice. Oh yeah, a little alien robot tries to have dog-style intercourse with Mikaela's leg, too, ... twice. And the purpose of Mikaela falling from the sky face-first onto the lower trunk of Sam's friend was clear. It is entertainment such as this, over and over and over in almost every walk of life with progressively increasing vulgarity that creates such a contempt for sexual humility in our kids who should not yet be "sexual" at all. [Eph. 5:4, Gal. 5:19, 1Ths. 4:1-5] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 88 out of 100 The only instance of programming applicable to this investigation area was Sam's mom becoming drug-intoxicated. Offense to God (O) - 6 out of 100 God's name in varying formats was used in vain 35 times [Deut. 5:11]. This plus the entire film being based on seeking revenge [Rom. 12:19] and a claim of godhood were enough to cause the loss of all but 6 of the starting 100 points in this investigation area. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 Deaths by battle/war (and police action) are not incorporated into this investigation area but are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. The many "murders" by the aliens in battle were thus not counted as murder. 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) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 88 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 6 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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