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Reel World Reality 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 MAR2012.054  (2010), NR [PG-NR*] (83.9min) 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 1300 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.)
 Production (US): Procter & Gamble Productions presents a TeleNext Media Production Distribution (US): TeleNext Media, ChristianCinema.com Director(s): Douglas Barr Producer(s): Pasquale F. Gentile, Ben Simon, Jeff Grant, Brian Wells, Joel S. Rice, Irene Litinsky Teleplay by: Monica Macer Story by: Jeff Davenport, Steven Manuel Cinematography/Camera: Pierre Jodoin Music: Randy Jackson, Eric Allaman Film Editing: Simon Webb Casting: Shana Lansberg, Rosina Bucci Production Design: Zo‘ Sakellaropoulo Viewed on TeleNext Media Home Entertainment DVD The Jensen Project is a truly enjoyable action adventure with an entertainment caliber as high or higher than any of the four Spy Kids installments but maybe a little more able to capture and keep the viewer's attention. It is also little higher on the intellect totem pole than any of the Spy Kids films. The performances are a tad more professional as well. Though this film is handled by ChristanCinema.com I do not find that it is a faith-based film. Jesus is not mentioned, even in vain. However, if you are not strongly offended by teen arrogance and non-graphic professional wrongdoings, it certainly is a fair choice from what is available as a family night at the movies flick. Claire Thompson (Kellie Martin) was severely chastised for what her boss, Edwin Jensen (David Andrews) called a failure. Not being able to cope with the intense humiliation by Edwin, Claire leaves the Jensen Project and drags her MD husband, Matt (Brady Smith) and young son, Brody (Justin Kelly) along with her. After 10 years the Jensen Project Director Ingrid Jensen (Patricia Richardson) shows up in Matt's office begging Claire and Matt to return to the Jensen Project to investigate the doings of Edwin who had recently left the Project and had taken half the staff with him. It seems Edwin had sabotaged Claire's work so he could steal her world-changing invention for himself. The rest of the story is about Claire and company restoring the Jensen Project and Claire confronting her ghost from the past ... and about restoring her honor and empathy with her husband and son. Part of the "company" involved in the efforts to restore the Jensen Project is teenage Samantha (Alyssa Diaz), a street reject who steals Brody's heart who may be another quality young performer. Others of the support cast are perfect for their parts ... except maybe LeVar Burton who plays the Jensen security chief. In spite of his added years and weight, he might well be undercast because of his fame as Jordy La Forge of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This film is a perfect example of the CAP Rule of 1000 which states that a movie which presents, for example, 100 examples of bad behaviors/images of lesser severity, each worth only 10 "bads" (Movie A) is just as negatively influential as a movie of the same length that presents only 10 examples of bad behaviors/images but of more extreme severity each worth 100 "bads" (Movie B). Both movies are worth 1000 "bads." The Jensen Project presents so many of the lesser, seemingly tame kinds of assault on morality and wholesome ethics that the total magnitude or envelope of assaults is equivalent to the more extreme but fewer examples of morality assault typically demonstrated in more severely rated entertainment. It is a story of theft, extortion, sabotage, threat and danger with a great deal of teen defiance of parental authority. What would one expect? What one can expect is a final score of 77 out of 100 which places the content of this film in the range of scores earned by PG-rated films (68 to 86 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database of films. Both the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) and the Impudence/Hate (I) content investigation areas found content to be equivalent to the same areas of some R-rated films, not because of the intensity of examples of assault on morality and wholesome ethics but because of the sheer number of them as explained in the CAP Rule of 1000. But on a positive note, all four of the remaining CAP investigation areas (S, D, O and M) earned either perfect or very high G-equivalent scores. The CAP thermometers pictorially display the above scoring distribution. In a simple sense, The Jensen Project is 33% R and 67% G. On another positive note, there is absolutely no profanity and no murder or suicide whatsoever in the 83.9 minutes of the film. And no one gets in bed with anyone else. 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) - 40 out of 100 The violence content of this film consists mainly of theft, breaking and entering, assault and fighting with an attempted murder by vehicular assault and by electronic implant. As noted in the Summary/Commentary above, the violence and crime demonstrated in this film is not of the "R" caliber but there is enough of the lesser examples of violence and crime to equal the "R" caliber by sheer numbers. Though the issues of violence and crime may be of the "sanitized" caliber, there is enough of the violence and crime to be of noteworthy concern regarding implantation of which four professional public health agencies warn. They warn that, among other things, violence in and as entertainment can embolden the viewer, especially youth, into real life violence and can lead the viewer to believe violence is an effective means of settling conflict. Not only do scientists warn against the influence of violence God warns in Proverb 16:29 that violence is enticing and can lead the observer into "the way that is not good." No matter from which side of the Spiritual fence you look at the issue, violence in and as entertainment has strong and negative influence. Impudence/Hate (I) - 28 out of 100 Much of this film is freckled with disrespect, defiance and disobedience by young Brody. Even the script expressed disdain with the disobedience of Brody. Indeed, more than half of the demonstrations of negative behavior applicable to this investigation area involved Brody. While, as with all other examples of assault on morality and wholesome ethics, all Brody's demonstrations of defiance and disobedience were of the "lesser" kind, they are still matters with which God is not sanguine. God wants us as sons (and daughters) to respect, honor and obey our parents [Exod. 20:12]; parents who will answer directly to God for violations of our charge over the children He gives us [Matt. 18:10], especially we fathers for God did not call upon Eve for an accounting of what she and Adam did with the Forbidden Fruit. God called for Adam, the husband to "answer for the charges." [Gen. 3:9] Note that (on my nearly antique system) the subtitling does not include English and the closed captioning is not always accurate. But rest assured there is no profanity in the entire 83.9 minutes if the show. Sexual Immorality (S) - 96 out of 100 The only behavior or imagery that applies to this investigation area is the display of martial arts exercises by Samantha while wearing tight, form-fitting jeans combined with the focus of the camera. Her pants were so tight I suspect that when close enough one could tell whether a dime in her rear pocket was heads or tails. It is clear what the filmmakers were trying to do with such display, especially when loose pants are much more appropriate for such physical activity. Jeans were no-no in my Shorin-Ryu (Okinawa-Te) karate because they restrict range of motion and movement of the legs. Loose-fitting Gi pants are much more compatible with the physical extremes which gives justification to questioning the motives of the filmmakers' using "sprayed on" jeans in this scene. [Matt. 5:28, 1 John 2:10] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 There are no examples of possession or consumption or even references to illegal drugs, no alcohol, no presence of tobacco and no abuse of prescription drugs. Offense to God (O) - 100 out of 100 There is no occultism, Satanism, demonism, witchcraft, sorcery or the like in the entire show and God's name is not abused even once. Nor is God mocked. No Scriptures are situationally redefined, counterfeited or conditionally applied. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There are no portrayals of murder or suicide. Attempted murder is portrayed but this investigation area does not incorporates portrayals of attempts at murder or suicide, only portrayal of completed murder and completed suicide. In addition, this investigation are does not incorporate deaths by acts of war, police action or defensive killings. These and attempted murder or suicide are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. 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 --> 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.] 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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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)   Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 40 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 28 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 96 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 100 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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| 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 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |
