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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 MAR29002  With Comparative (2008), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (1hr 50min) 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): Dark Horse Entertainment, Internationale Filmproduktion Eagle, Lawrence Gordon Productions, Mid Atlantic Films, Relativity Media (in association with), Universal Pictures Distribution (US): Universal Studios Home Entertainment Director(s): Guillermo del Toro Producer(s): Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Mike Mignola, Mike Richardson, Joe Roth, John Swallow, Chris Symes Screenplay by: Guillermo del Toro Story: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Mignola Comic Book: Mike Mignola Cinematography/Camera: Guillermo Navarro Music: Danny Elfman Film Editing: Bernat Vilaplana Casting: Zsolt Csutak Production Design: Stephen Scott Art Direction: Peter Francis Viewed on Universal Studios Home Entertainment DVD This CAP film analysis is sponsred by E&HP and C&EZ. Anung un Rama, a.k.a. Hellboy "Red" (Ron Perlman, Montse Ribé), the son of the fallen one, the spawn of Satan is at it again, an evil being doing "good." [Isa. 5:20] The 1944 spawn of the king of demons still works for the secret FBI Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) in Trenton, NJ (recall that BPRD was in Newark in the first Hellboy). The story opens with a short connective story of the discovery of the baby Hellboy in Ireland and with young Hellboy being tutored in life among humans by his adopted father, Dr. Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm (John Hurt). Dr. Bruttenholm tells young Hellboy a bedtime story about Elfland and King Balor. Long ago elf King Balor (Roy Dotrice) built an army of 70 times 70 indestructible, unstoppable golden warriors. Though the army was banished to storage, the king's son Prince Nuada Silverlance (Luke Goss) vowed to awaken the army with the Crown of Bethmoora when his people needed him again. The Crown is in three pieces. The King has two pieces but Nuada's twin sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton) has the third and vital piece. In the bedtime story we are introduced -- violently -- to Prince Nuada, Princess Nuala and the Golden Army. After returning from voluntary exile Nuada is bent on conquering -- er -- reclaiming the world by reuniting the three pieces of the Crown of Bethmoora to awaken the Golden Army and attain control of it. The Golden Army is invincible as long as the crown is assembled. Nuala is devoted to stopping Nuada and she is in possession of the third centerpiece part of the crown. While this version of the Hellboy franchise is more of a serious piece of work than the "university drama school" production that preceded it, Hellboy II carries with it more assaults on morality and Scripture. While both versions are true hardcore R-13 films, the second version is more "R-13" but is more diversified. It contains more of an emotional element and delves into expansion of characters. Red is simply more of Red but Liz (Selma Blair) has become more "pickles and ice cream" moody but more of a self-confident achiever. Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), is no longer the "fish out of the water" he was in the first Hellboy and is given a lot more screentime, and thankfully so. There is a new character, a gas bag Dr. Johann Strauss (the voice of James Dodd). He survives in a self-contained environmental suit and exists within it as an ectoplasmic cloud of gas. One of the "possessions" Strauss makes is of a wall of lockers much like those in public school. Red smashes Strauss' face plate then Strauss seeps out and possesses the lockers. Strauss then pummels Red by swinging locker doors and hitting Red repeatedly. It was quite comical. As Red recoiled from being hit with one door and before he can recompose, Strauss slaps him with another locker door ... or two ... or three. One door was given a perfect imprint of Red's face, horn stubs and all. Following is a scoring comparative of the two Hellboy films. There is little that needs to be said that is not already obvious. But of some extraordinary significance is the final score and influence density (ID) figures that form a somewhat odd relationship. First, the range of final scores for all the R-rated films in the comparative baseline database is 54 and below out of 100. The range of Influence Density (ID) figures earned by the same R-rated films is 0.78 to 2.04 (the higher the ID figure the more dense the moral assault content). For Hellboy the final score is 40 with an ID of 2.23. But Hellboy II earned a significantly lower final score of 26 but earned a less severe ID figure of 1.75. Both ID figures are in the range of ID figures earned by R-rated films in the comparative baseline database but the Hellboy II ID figure shows a significantly less density of assaults on morality and decency. What this reveals is that the individual assaults on morality and decency in Hellboy II are generally more severe but that there are fewer of them per hour than in Hellboy. Rather amazing, this CAP Analysis Model, wouldn't you say? Remember, I may be the engineer for the model but Jesus is the Designer.  Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 Violence is intense at times. Enough so that this investigation area found enough content to warrant loss of all the starting 100 points. Examples of intense violence include blade impalement killing; long blade fights with impalements, slicings and amputations; a beheading; crushing death with gore; assaults to settle conflict repeatedly and much more. One might think that violence is "okay" when the bad guy "gets what he deserves"; if a lesson is taught/learned. Too often, using violence (or any other behavioral mechanism) to teach how not to behave teaches how to not behave. God knew this when He inspired the Bible. He told us in 1 Cor. 15:33 that such communication (speech, imagery, innuendo, etc.) corrupts good moral behavior choices. He further warned us that violence leads us down a path that is not good. [Prov. 16:29, Prov. 3:31 Impudence/Hate (I) - 21 out of 100 The intent of God's Word about speech is that it be edifying to the hearer and free of expletives (swear words, profanity, obscenities,etc.). [Eph. 4:29] By strictest application of such intent, the little conversational snippets and slang are included. That is the style of the CAP Analysis Model. Hellboy II spouts at least 21 such words, mostly by Ron Perlman. [Col. 3:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - 42 out of 100 Atypical of PG-13 movies, no one gets in bed with anyone in Hellboy II. But that is not all there is to sexually immoral content. This film presents other forms of sexually immoral behavior and/or imagery. Examples include: a gross nude female statue is seen repeatedly; a uniquely private procedure with sounds is performed by Blair; inappropriate touch happens twice; a homosexual, a sadomasochistic ("tight little leather straps") and a rather vulgar comment are heard; there is brief rear male nudity (Perlman). We are not to participate in such displays and behaviors. [Eph. 5:4 - 5, Rev. 21:27, Phil. 4:8] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 15 out of 100 This film approved by the MPAA for the elementary school age stratum screams of another warning: about booze, drinking, drunkenness in and as entertainment. A 2002 study by the American College of Physicians (ACP) revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage kids. The finding 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 from viewing R-rated movies. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was The researchers selected R-rated movies because they assumed R-rated movies typically present more drinking than movies of other classifications. This assumption is no longer true. The researchers were not aware of the matter of R-13 proven by this ministry in 2000 with which Harvard University scientists agreed four years later. The bottom line? The focus is that the influence of adolescent exposure to drinking (and smoking) in and as entertainment is undeniable regardless of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) classification. [Eph. 5:18] Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? And emboldening children to sin with drink in and as entertainment screams of violating Luke 17:2. Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Creature creativity bordered on genius but that genius was evil. All of the "paranormal" critters looked as if they should be dancing and shrieking with glee around the boiling cauldron of Hell. Granted, we should not judge by mere appearances but demons are demons and unholy is unholy. This film is rife with evil, demons and unholy beings, with the use of them to do harm and elf/ogre/goblin lore. Abe Sapien mocks 1 Cor. 6:19. One of the "tooth fairies" is resurrected by Strauss. More. [Eph. 4:27, 1 Thess. 5:22, Prov. 4:14, Ps. 141:4, 3 John 11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 76 out of 100 Killings as the result of defensive actions are not considered murder by the CAP Analysis Model but are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. However, Hellboy II indeed portrays murder and suicide. The auctioneer is murdered by Nuada with a critter that covers the auctioneer's face and suffocates him. Nuada murders his father the King by sword and Nuala kills herself to sympathetically kill Nuada. It was certainly a sacrificial suicide but too many, especially the young, don't capture the noble intent but rather absorb the raw imagery. Consider the following excerpt from our analysis of Unbreakable: PERSPECTIVE: We have become so drugged by the narcotics of extremes in and as entertainment progressively for so long that what once was morally unacceptable has become morally invisible. If there ever was any doubt about that, there remains no doubt with Unbreakable when a 13 year old boy in a movie can aim a gun he loaded and cocked at his father [Prov. 17:25] and the audience find acceptability in it let alone humor in it. The boy's intent was to prove his father was a super hero who could not die. Remember what God has told us in 1 Cor. 15:33 "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." The "bad company" imagery in that scene may be captured by youth as power by holding dad ("unfair control") hostage rather than what the scene is supposed to be saying, not to mention being captured as the lowering of inhibitions of the viewer against using a firearm as a power tool; power which all adolescents crave. There may be many emotional and social filters and barriers in the observer in the path of such imagery on its way to the brain that by the time the imagery gets to the brain all that remains of the original imagery is a picture of the power in holding dad hostage ... with a gun. 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) - 21 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 42 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 15 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 76 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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