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Entertainment Media Analysis Report
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MAR2012.063

(2012), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (156min)

Final Score
Analysis Date
Date Posted
Influence Density
MinMax
July 27, 2012
July 28, 2012
39
1.89
-83

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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.



(2012), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] ... I believe 'The Joker™' character of the earlier Batman® films had an influence


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Warner Brothers, DC Entertainment, Legendary Pictures, Syncope
Distribution (US): Warner Brothers
Director(s): Christopher Nolan
Producer(s): Kevin De La Noy, Jordan Goldberg, Benjamin Melniker, Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Dileep Singh Rathore, Emma Thomas, Thomas Tull, Michael E. Uslan
Screenplay by: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Story by: Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
Batman Characters: Bob Kane
Cinematography/Camera: Wally Pfister
Music: Hans Zimmer
Film Editing: Lee Smith
Casting: John Papsidera, Toby Whale
Production Design: Nathan Crowley, Kevin Kavanaugh
Viewed at Showbiz Cinema


Well, folks. the numbers are crunched. With a final score of 39 The Dark Knight Rises is most certainly another R-13. Subjectively speaking it is another cinematic lesson in how many ways and how intensely violence and murder can be portrayed in movies ... a chunky soup of violence and murder. While the movie earned PG-equivalence in Sexual Immorality (S), Drugs/Alcohol (D) and Offense to God (O), it is clearly R-equivalent in Wanton Violence/Crime (W), Impudence/Hate (I) and Murder/Suicide (M).

As I promised to our distribution members (our "list") following is a comparative using the Batman® trilogy by Christopher Nolan as director of each.


Note in particular the digression of final scores over the three installments: the 2005 installment earned a final score of 56 out of 100; the 2008 installment earned a final score of 46; 2012 - 39. 56 - 46 - 39. Rather revealing wouldn't you say? Rest assured the CAP analysis model has not changed. The investigation standards are the same as are the more than 30 mathematical equations. Since the CAP analysis model has not changed, consistency is assured thus confidence is high that the revelation of the digression of content is reliable.

Note that our analysis report of each of these three films is on our archives. I suspect the intellectual caliber of our readers is such that I don't need to discuss all the information available in the above scoring comparative between the three installments.

It is eight years after Batman (Christian Bale) takes the blame for the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). Bruce Wayne has become decrepit and reclusive hiding from the world with his lifelong butler, Alfred (Michael Caine) in the Wayne Manor. Bruce no longer has any drive and is tired ... of living without Rachel.

But along comes Bane (Tom Hardy). Bane has been cast out of the League of Shadows by Ra's al Ghul (Liam Neeson). Ra's al Ghul means "demon head." Bane is bent on creating an anarchy in Gotham City. Bane is also bent on being total ruler of Gotham City. He had the inventor of a modular nuclear power plant convert it to a 4 megaton nuclear bomb as leverage to extort Gotham City into submission.

New to the cast is Detective John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Blake, a lowly foot cop (whose first name is Robin) dazzled Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) with some quick thinking so Commissioner Gordon promoted Blake to Detective on the spot. Though Catwoman is not new to the Batman® trilogy, this time she is Selina Kyle played by Anne Hathaway.

By hook and crook the Wayne Enterprises have become broke. A young lady named Miranda (Marion Cotillard) comes along and steals Bruce's heart ... for one night anyway. Miranda ends up becoming the new chairman and CEO of Wayne Enterprises -- and more -- much to Bruce's chagrin. And health.

There are several subplots that connect and intertwine the new characters with the previous characters such as Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) into a force to combat Bane and his genocidal goons.

By the way, the physics portrayed in this film such as making a bomb from the modular nuclear reactor is wrong on so many levels. And, being a fission device, exploding it four miles offshore may keep Gotham City out of the blast radius but not the fallout plume. Oh, well. It's a movie. Too bad movies often teach behavior, good or bad.

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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) - Zero out of 100
This investigation area found enough content to drag this investigation area score down to zero out of 100. The content applicable to this investigation area is most certainly R-equivalent (54 and below out of 100). There are far too many findings of violence/crime to summarize them here. A "brief discussion" of the violence/crime content would be best described as intense and frequent killing, mostly by gunfire. Please inspect the listing in the Findings/Scoring section for a full accounting of the violence and/or crime content of this film.

I am, however, going to take the space necessary to share with you God's Word about violence. Of more than 50 verses condemning violence, Proverb 16:29 best puts His admonitions in perspective with the intent of this ministry. In Proverb 16:29 God warns that violence is enticing: that it can lead one into the path that is not good. In addition to God "publishing His findings" about violence, man has plagiarized God's Word, probably without knowing it, by four professional public health agencies publishing their findings which warn that viewing violence in and as entertainment can, among other things, lead the viewer, especially the young, to real life violence and can lead the viewer to believe violence is an effective means of settling conflict. It would be advisable for filmmakers to start listening. However, it is policy of the CAP Ministry to let Hollywood make whatever they wish to make because God said sin would be rampant in the end times and there is nothing we can do to stop it. But as long as what Hollywood makes teaches and/or causes our youth to sin in either deed or thought, I will have something to say about it. Boldly. Unashamedly.

And yes, though 'The Joker™' was not in The Dark Knight Rises nor had James Eagan Holmes seen the entire film, I believe 'The Joker™' character of the earlier Batman® films had an influence on the decision of suspect James Holmes, the accused perpetrator of the genocide on opening night at an Aurora, CO theater on July 20, 2012 who fancies himself as 'The Joker™', to shoot and kill 12 people and wound 58 others at the after-midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. There are quite likely many other influences that fueled the perpetrator's decision to shoot such as failing the oral exam for a Ph. D. degree just days before but I doubt if any of the other influences were called 'The Joker™.' The perpetrator may have selected that particular audience simply because they were at a showing of a Batman® film and he fancies himself as 'The Joker™'.

Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100
Fourteen times someone uttered profanity but fortunately none of them were the most foul of the foul words which has become typical of PG-13 films. Though none of the most foul of the foul words were uttered it is still sinful to speak profane words. [Col. 3:8. Eph. 4:29, Eph. 5:4] The profanity content of this film is not quite enough to drag down this investigation area score to zero but the other matters of impudence and/or hatred combined with the profanity were quite enough: bondage; extortion, snooping, the use of hostages as shields; kidnapping; more. Please look to the listing in the Impudence /Hate section of the Findings/Scoring section for a complete accounting of the film content applicable to this investigation area. [Rom. 12:18]

Sexual Immorality (S) - 74 out of 100
Typical of PG-13 is a man and a woman in bed together nude but covered. This film is no exception. Additional matters of content applicable to this investigation area include: innuendo regarding male anatomy; innuendo regarding sexual intercourse; dressing to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure; gaping mouth kissing; posing to force the viewer on private parts. [Gal. 5:19]

Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 79 out of 100
While there is no presence of possession or consumption of illegal drugs, no tobacco and no abuse of prescription drugs, there is some light presence of alcoholic beverage, drinking of it and drunkenness. However light the presence of alcohol may be, the American College of Physicians (ACP) published a 2002 study about adolescent viewing of drinking in and as entertainment. The ACP study revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The report entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was

  • 46% for those with no viewing restrictions
  • 16% for those with partial viewing restrictions
  • four percent for those with complete viewing restrictions. [Eph. 5:18]

    There is nothing to say that viewing smoking or possession/consumption of illegal drugs or abuse of prescription drugs in and as entertainment do not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking and drunkenness. Actually, the matter of behavior implantation / modification applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior.

    Offense to God (O) - 83 out of 100
    God's name is abused only four times. One of them with the four letter expletive. God is quite clear about the abuse of His name: for that they who speak His name in vain and are not forgiven will not be held guiltless. [Deut. 5:11] There are no instances of Satanism, occultism, witchcraft, sorcery or any other unholy practice in the entire 156 minutes of the film.

    Murder/Suicide (M) - Zero out of 100
    This film is rife with cold-hearted murder. At least 15 individual murders plus two sequences of mass murder. The filmmakers had the characters murder with less concern than if the murderers had just sneezed and got some on their chin. There were no suicides noted.

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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 "fantasy" or "justified" the violence might seem, and its "leading" effect on the observer. "A violent man" can be any character of any age, any gender, human or not 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 the 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. Their findings include:
    --> Children who see a lot of violence are more likely to view violence as an effective way of settling conflicts. Children exposed to violence are more likely to assume the acts of violence are acceptable behavior.
    --> 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.]
  • Col. 3:8 But now ye also put off [rid yourself of] all these; anger, wrath, malice [kakia: ill-will, desire to injure, wickedness, depravity, evil, trouble, not ashamed to break laws, etc.], blasphemy [blasphemia: impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty], filthy communication [aischrologia:foul speaking, low and obscene speech] out of your mouth.
  • Eph. 4:29 Let no corrupt communication [unwholesome talk] proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
  • Eph. 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
  • Rom. 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
  • Gal. 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ...
  • Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. [Since "drunk" is methusko {meth-oos'-ko}: to intoxicate; make drunk; to get drunk; become intoxicated, "wine" can be any intoxicating substance including illegal drugs or abuse of prescription drugs. The issue is do not abuse the body by intoxicating it [1 Cor. 6:19]. Though it is not a sin to drink, it is a sin to get drunk OR to influence to get drunk OR to drink in defiance such as underage drinking.]
  • 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 in slang or profanity. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or responsible discussion and in praise and prayer is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name or title even if as a euphemism. So, trying to excuse such expressions with "I was talking TO God/Jesus when I said that" or "It's just words" or "I was acting" will not work with Him. Nor will "Everybody says that" excuse the sin of using His name in vain. If everyone on the planet who has ever drawn a breath used His name in vain, it would still be a sin to do so. If no one ever did, it would still be a sin to do so. Whether we believe it or not. Whether we like it or not. Whether we care or not.]

    Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry

  • Jer. 37:9 - 10 This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, 'The Babylonians [the destroyers from within] will surely leave us.' They will not! Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down. [The "destroyers form within" do not have to be army warriors. They can be the ones who destroy through corruption of moral standards as well, such as filmmakers who perpetuate desensitization against wholesome standards. They aren't going anywhere, folks. Not until Jesus comes again.]
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend what is vile, embrace it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it.]
  • 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. And remember, mom/dad, "little ones" is mikros, meaning less by birth; younger. All of your children are younger than you and less by birth than you. So, "little ones" includes at-home teens.]
  • 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.)

    The Dark Knight Rises (2012) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100
  • firearms, frequent
  • gunfire to intimidate and control, repeatedly, including control of thousands
  • action violence sequences with varying degrees of intensity, some with many deaths by various means, typically by gunfire, frequent
  • flash of injury gore
  • reckless endangerment with a shot arrow
  • theft, repeatedly
  • assault, repeatedly, some very graphic
  • dead body, repeatedly
  • firearm to the head, repeatedly
  • offensive and defensive gunfire, frequent, most to kill, some intense and massive and with automatic firearms
  • physical assault, frequent
  • reckless driving to escape/pursue, repeatedly
  • gunfire to kill, frequent
  • intense fight sequence, brutal
  • additional fight sequence
  • beating injuries
  • torture
  • death by fall with back break by rope, audible
  • gunfire killings by police
  • prison riot with assaults on guards
  • escape of 1000 prisoners by illegal release
  • three men hanging by the neck
  • assault of a child
  • defensive assault
  • sequence of massive assault of many
  • intense brutality
  • assault by many
  • stabbing, graphic
  • massive gun battles
  • woman slowly dying
  • nuclear detonation
  • attempted genocide of 3000 police officers

    Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100
  • 14 uses of profanity, none of the most foul of the foul words
  • bondage of three
  • extortion with threat with firearms and being thrown out of a plane as leverage
  • snooping in violation of direct instructions
  • use of hostages as shields
  • kidnapping, repeatedly
  • extortion of entire city population with nuclear bomb as leverage
  • fall of government into anarchy
  • "kangaroo" court, twice
  • assailant enjoying stabbing someone
  • characters depicting cold and uncaring sadistic apathy toward their victims

    Sexual Immorality (S) - 74 out of 100
  • dressing to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure, repeatedly
  • innuendo re: male anatomy, twice
  • innuendo re: intercourse
  • gaping mouth kissing
  • man and woman in bed nude (covered)
  • posing to focus viewer on private parts

    Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 79 out of 100
  • booze, repeatedly
  • drinking, repeatedly
  • drunkenness, once

    Offense to God (O) - 83 out of 100
  • 4 abuses of God's name, once with the four letter expletive
  • adulterous relationship
  • claim of immortality

    Murder/Suicide (M) - Zero out of 100
  • murder by gunfire, many and frequent
  • murder by choking
  • murder by neck break, twice
  • unseen murder of mother
  • murder of many by explosion















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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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    * CAP Equivalence to MPAA Rating Scale:
    Please note our new manner of indicating a film's Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating in comparison with the CAP equivalence such as "PG-13 [R-13]." The first term is the Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) rating. The second term [in brackets] indicates that which the film earned under the CAP analysis model. In the example, "PG-13 [R-13]" indicates the MPAA rated the film PG-13 but the film earned a CAP final score in the scoring range earned by R-rated movies in the comparative baseline database. Other comparative terms used might be "PG [13-PG]", "G [PG-G] or even 'PG-13 [PG]" as was the case for Alien vs Predator. I doubt there will ever be a "G [R]" used, but only time will tell. The CAP analysis model is Rock-solid. The MPAA is not.

    The current CAP to MPAA** nomenclature is:

    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
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    PG-13 equivalence: PG-13
    R equivalence: R-13
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    PG-13 equivalence: 13-R
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    PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR
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