ChildCare Action Project:
Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

Entertainment Media Analysis Report

MAR00398
Wild America (1997)
PG
CAP Score: 74
CAP ID: 0.48

Thomas A. Carder
CAP President

ALERT: To fully understand this report you should first visit the topics suggested by
the CAP Home Page Table of Contents.





Wild America (1997) CAP Thermometers Wild America (1997) presented three boys, two of which were under age, galavanting around the countryside making films of 'wild america' -- the animal domain. Supposedly a true story, I wonder whether a father of the sixties or seventies would have permitted his sons to be so arrogant against his righteous and caring authority.

Wanton Violence/Crime (W) was a little bold with presenting licentious endangerment of the younger brother by the older two brothers -- repeatedly -- and with a man stabbing himself in his wooden leg with a hunting knife. Impunity/Hate (I)(1) suffered the most due to the most common influences in PG movies: course language and arrogance against righteous authority (against the parents in this movie). Sex/Homosexuality (S) lost some due to inappropriate sexual content such as brief nudity, sexual references, exposure of underwear, and female anatomy ghosting through clothing. There were no occurrences of Drugs/Alcohol (D) noted. In Offense to God (O)(2) only the use of God's name in vain (without the four letter explicative) etched away some of the starting 100 points. And Murder/Suicide (M)(3) found no programming presenting murder or suicide.

In accordance with the comparative baseline data of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model, Wild America (1997) presented programming equivalent to R-rated material in only Impunity/Hate but was equivalent to PG-rated programming in Wanton Violence/Crime and Sex/Homosexuality. The movie was equivalent to G-rated programming in Drugs/Alcohol, Offense to God, and Murder/Suicide. Thus, Wild America was equivalent to 17% R-rated programming and 33% PG, and 50% G-rated programming.

Additional examples of unacceptable material included:

  • older brothers tormenting a younger brother with possibly fatal consequences
  • exposure of underwear
  • rough language
  • dangerous antics
  • the use of God's name in vain but without the four letter explicative
  • impunity between wife and husband
  • argumentiveness of a son with his father
  • soltary defiance of maternal guidance
  • sexual references
  • urinating in public
  • licentious disregard for personal safety and the safety of others
  • lying to mother
  • acts of disgust


    • (1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend," of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impunity/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

    (2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary without God's name is incorporated into the Impunity/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the three/four letter word vocabulary is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no duplication. As required of the Holy Scriptures, unless God's name is used with reverence to His glory and praise, its use is considered in vain, whether literal or euphemistic.

    (3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Presentation of attempts to commit murder or suicide, deaths by police action, and deaths by war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.


    Please remember we believe that if even one of the six Investigation Area scores for a movie is equivalent to the CAP comparative baseline database scoring range for R, PG-13, or PG material, the entire movie should be regarded as so rated.  For example, if only Wanton Violence/Crime earns a score equivalent to R but all other Investigation Areas earn a score equivalent to G, THERE IS R-RATED MATERIAL IN THE MOVIE AND YOUR KIDS WILL SEE IT AND HEAR IT IF THEY WATCH THE MOVIE!




    Additional reviews of this movie may be located at "Movie Review Query Engine at Telerama."




    The ChildCare Action Project (CAP) is a nonprofit Christian ministry. We rely on public support. If you wish to contribute to the CAP, please send your donations to

    ChildCare Action Project
    Post Office Box 177
    Granbury, TX 76048-0177

    Tax exemption applies in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Codes.

    Please feel free to write to us.



    You are welcome to
    Go back to the CAP Reports Page
    or
    Top of the CAP Home Page
    or
    CAP Table of Contents

    or leave me an email message or comment at

    cap@capalert.com





    Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you. Prayerfully, we will provide you with some of the most revealing commentary and investigative reporting you have ever read.

    In the name of Jesus:
    Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.

    Thomas A. Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

    Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP)