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MAR2011.009

(2010), PG-13 [Hard PG-13*] (1hr 44.25min)

Final Score
Analysis Date
Date Posted
Influence Density
MinMax
January 31, 2011
January 31, 2011
57
1.45
-81

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Christian Long Distance

SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:
(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary.



(2010), PG-13 [Hard PG-13*] ... is equivalent to many R-rated films in violence.


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Summit Entertainment, Di Bonaventura Pictures, DC Entertainment
Distribution (US): Summit Home Entertainment
Director(s): Robert Schwentke
Producer(s): Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Jake Myers, Gregory Noveck, David Ready, Misha Skoric, Mark Vahradian
Writing Credits: Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber (screenplay); Warren Ellis, Cully Hamner (graphic novel)
Cinematography/Camera: Florian Ballhaus
Music: Christophe Beck
Film Editing: Thom Noble
Casting: Deborah Aquila, Mary Tricia Wood
Production Design: Alec Hammond
Art Direction: Brandt Gordon
Viewed on Summit Home Entertainment DVD



With a final score of 57 out of 100 based on content RED indeed earned a solid placement in the realm of PG-13 films ... a hard PG-13 but a PG-13 nonetheless. This PG-13 film is one of the very, very few PG-13 films that actually by content earned its PG-13 label. Most PG-13 films earn scores in the range of scores earned by R-rated films. (See R-13 for more information.) RED earned PG-equivalent investigation area scores in Sexual Immorality (S), in Drugs/Alcohol (D), in Offense to God (O), in Murder/Suicide (M). But with an investigation area score of zero in Wanton Violence/Crime (W) and 39 in Impudence/Hate (I) it certainly is equivalent to many R-rated films in htose two areas. Also the Influence Density figure for this film (1;.45) is within the range of figures earned by R-rated films in the baseline database (0.78 to 2.04), due mainly to the thickness of issues of violence, but the PG-equivalent scores in four of the six investigation areas kept the final score out of the R pit.

There is one of the great features of the CAP analysis model. The model not only identifies the assaults on morality and decency but identifies any concentrations of them and in what area they are found. Our model reveals that RED has the strongest concentration of assaults on morality in violence (Wanton Violence/Crime). The content found by all other investigation areas is much less severe by comparison. But please remember that an investigation area score of less than 100 indicates there is some material that is likely of concern for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more.

Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is a retired-but-extremely-dangerous (RED) CIA agent who is being targeted by some of those he left in his wake. In his attempt to save Sarah Ross (Mary-Louse Parker), with whom he has become smitten, from becoming collateral damage, Frank enlists the aid of some of his cohorts from the past: Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman), Marvin Boggs (John Malovich) and Victoria (Helen Mirren). Together the foursome fight some corruption that has infected the Whitehouse.

Karl Urban, "Bones" from Star Trek, plays William Cooper, a key CIA agent who, together with his boss, Cynthia Wiles (Rebecca Pidgeon) do their best to kill Frank to stop Frank from killing the US Vice President (none other than Julian McMahon, Victor Von Doom of Fantastic Four™ fame) for his part in the melee that wiped out a foreign town of all men, women and children.

Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100
This film is intense with violence, typically weapon violence. Near the opening of the film three men decimate a house with automatic gunfire for about ten times as long as the ammunition magazine of hand-held automatic weapons could last. Just to try to kill Frank. In another scene, Cooper hangs a man by the neck until he is dead. In yet another scene Frank displays to Joe a manila envelope of severed human fingers. Violence is "catching", mom/dad. Violence can and does lead some down a bad path. God says so. [Prov. 16:29] Such exposure in and as entertainment can and does embolden the viewer into aggression, especially youth. And high level government corruption and cover up add to the violence/crime envelope. God advises us that with wickedness comes contempt. [Prov. 18:3]

Impudence/Hate (I) - 39 out of 100
There are 15 uses of profanity plus one use of the most foul of the foul words in the 104.25 minutes of story. [Col 3:8, Prov. 22:11] But other than a couple harsh terms that is all the content that applies to this investigation area, not that the profanity isn't enough. And enough is too much.

Sexual Immorality (S) - 71 out of 100
The majority of the content applicable to sexually immoral ethics are anatomical and sexual references, an adult in underwear, excessive cleavage and a pin-up girl poster. [Col. 3:5, Eph. 5:4]

Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 81 out of 100
An instance of drinking and two instances of forced injections are all there are to the content applicable to this investigation area.

Offense to God (O) - 74 out of 100
God's name is abused seven times, three of them with the four letter expletive. That is all that was noted related to this investigation area: no witchcraft, sorcery, occultism, worship of false gods or anything else. But know this: God will not hold guiltless s/he who abuses His name. [Deut. 5:11]

Murder/Suicide (M) - 78 out of 100
Note that defensive killings and deaths by police action or war are not incorporated into this investigation area but are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/ Crime investigation area. So, aside from all the defensive killings, RED presented three murders, once by gunfire, once by hanging and once by neck slicing.


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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

  • Prov. 16:29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. [The issue is the violence, the 'way that is not good' no matter how "small" or "justified" the violence might seem, and its "leading" effect on the observer. "A violent man" ["man" here is enowsh {en-oshe"}: man (collective), mortal, person, mankind; contracted for iysh {eesh}: whosoever, each] can be any character of any age, any gender, human or not since the cinematic display is at the hands men and women, in the act of committing (demonstrating in the case of entertainment) violent behavior/action whether for good or evil or the violent behaviors/actions themselves. Such exposure can and does embolden the viewer into aggression, especially youth. It took years for American professional health community to finally affirm, probably without knowing it, that which God told us in 1 Cor. 15:33 below. See also Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children: Congressional Public Health Summit for more information. Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV.]
  • Prov. 18:3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt...
  • Col. 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice [kakia: ill-will, desire to injure, wickedness, depravity, evil, trouble, not ashamed to break laws, etc.], and filthy language [aischrologia: foul speaking, low and obscene speech] from your lips.
  • Prov. 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
  • Col. 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
  • Eph. 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
  • Deut. 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. [Vain is shav {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity, such as an expletive. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than in prayer, with respect or reverence or in responsible discussion is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name or title. So, trying to excuse such expressions with "I was talking TO God/Jesus/Christ when I said that" or "It's just words" or "I was acting" or "I was quoting" will not work with God.]

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • Jer. 37:9 This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, 'The Babylonians [the destroyers from within] will surely leave us.' They will not!
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences and present it to younger and younger audiences every year] when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it. I call attention to Ps. 12:8 to warn of the creeping desensitizing power of "entertainment."]
  • Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man [by his influence] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 Be not deceived: evil [kakov: of a bad nature, not such as it ought to be] communications corrupt good manners.
  • Rom. 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
  • Jude 1:4 For there are certain men* crept in unawares [secretly slipped in among us], who were before of old ordained to this condemnation [whose condemnation was written about long ago], ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [a license for immorality], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
  • Matt. 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
  • Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. [Offend: skandalizo {skan-dal-id'-zo} - scandalize; to entice to sin; to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey; to cause to fall away.]
  • Ps. 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me [let no sin rule over me].
  • John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  • 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. ["Evil" includes all things that are sinful.]


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    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.
  • FINDINGS / SCORING:
    (The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)


    RED (2010) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100
  • fraud
  • breaking and entering, thrice, once with assault weapons
  • action violence of varying intensity, frequent
  • firearms for offensive/assault, frequent
  • heavy presence of firearms
  • intense period of massive gunfire assault to kill
  • automatic gunfire to kill and gun battles, repeatedly
  • dead man hanging by the neck
  • severed human fingers
  • theft of police car
  • vehicular assault
  • offer to kill
  • knife threat to throat
  • gunfire to kill, frequent
  • attempted murder by rocket
  • defensive killing by various means, repeatedly
  • fraud to break into government system
  • fighting, twice
  • firearm threat, repeatedly
  • threat of torture
  • gunfire to intimidate
  • planning to assassinate
  • assault to falsify identification
  • gunfire to intentionally injure, repeatedly
  • human bomb threat
  • assault on police
  • threat to kill with abduction
  • abduction
  • government corruption, repeatedly

    Impudence/Hate (I) - 39 out of 100
  • harsh terms
  • 15 uses of profanity
  • one use of the most foul of the foul words

    Sexual Immorality (S) - 71 out of 100
  • homosexual references
  • adult in underwear
  • rude gaze
  • vulgar sexual reference
  • anatomical reference, repeatedly
  • pin-up girl poster
  • open mouth kissing

    Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 81 out of 100
  • drinking
  • forced injection, twice

    Offense to God (O) - 74 out of 100
  • 7 uses of God's name in vain, 3 of them with the four letter expletive

    Murder/Suicide (M) - 78 out of 100
  • murder by hanging
  • murder by gunfire
  • murder by neck slice















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    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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