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MAR27031

(2007), PG [Hard 13-PG*] (1hr 24min)

Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
May 16, 2007
55 out of 100
0.81
-83

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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.



(2007), PG [Hard 13-PG*] ... is not a toy.


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): DreamWorks Animation, Pacific Data Images, DreamWorks SKG
Distribution (US): DreamWorks Distribution, Paramount Pictures
Director(s): Chris Miller, Raman Hui
Producer(s): Andrew Adamson, Denise Nolan Cascino, Aron Warner, John H. Williams
Story by: Andrew Adamson
Screenplay: Howard Gould, Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jon Zack
Book: William Steig
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Film Editing: Michael Andrews
Production Design: Guillaume Aretos
Art Direction: Peter Zaslav
Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6


It is becoming rare that we are provided the resources and opportunity to prepare a film analysis report before  the film's first public showing. But in this case of Shrek the Third  we were able to do so.

On his death bed King Harold (voice of John Cleese) asks Shrek (voice of Mike Meyers) to become the new king. Retching at that suggestion Shrek begged the king to name another successor. King Harold told Shrek the second successor is Fiona's long-lost cousin, misfit high school student Arthur "Artie" Pendragon (voice of Justin Timberlake) in the land of Worchestershire or something like that which is far, far away from Far Far Away.

Since Shrek is the husband of Princess Fiona (voice of Cameron Diaz), Shrek must stand in for the dead king and when doing so must wear the girdle-tight royal ceremonial garb, including the wagon wheel of fluff around his neck. In an effort to relieve itching he could not reach, Shrek has a court attendant scratch his posterior for him. This is a good example of the caliber of the rest of what is to come. As this is happening, in spite of Fiona's warnings the curtains open to the court with hundreds of subjects watching the court attendant "scrub" Shrek's clothed posterior. From there a sequence of slapstick antics pelt the audience.

Shrek must now travel by ship to fetch Arthur. With the help of Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (voice of Antonio Banderas) the trio sail far, far away to the land of Worchestershire or something like that. Upon arrival, after a barrage of "Valley Girl" eeyew-eths and other "look-down-the-nose" behaviors by the indigenous yet worldly teens, Shrek and company find Arthur being tormented by Lancelot (voice of John Krasinski) and his gang. Though Arthur seems to Shrek to be the most unlikely type for becoming king, after a spot of revenge for Arthur on the tormentors Shrek drags Arthur to the boat and off they go back to Far Far Away.

Meanwhile, Prince Charming (voice of Rupert Everett) is trying his best to make it big in the dinner theater business. After another failure, Charming vows to get back his rightful claim to the throne. Charming enlists the aid of a various sundry of villainy: witches, Captain Hook (voice of Ian McShane), Cyclops (voice of Mark Valley), Rumplestiltskin (voice of Conrad Vernon), the Headless Horseman (also the voice of Conrad Vernon), and others from a local bar and tavern and launches an aerial assault on Far Far Away to capture Fiona. But not to worry, Fiona has a few tricks up her sleeves; Sleeping Beauty (voice of Cheri Oteri), Snow White (voice of Amy Poehler), Cinderella (voice of Amy Sedaris), Rapunzel (voice of Maya Rudolph) and, of course, the now widow Queen Lillian (voice of Julie Andrews).

There is more to this 84-minute film but since this report is being posted before the first public showing I will not spoil it any further. Now to the reason most parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders ad others come to our pages.

By the way, Fiona has a wee one -- or two? -- on the way.

I am not happy telling you this but Shrek the Third  is a hardcore 13-PG, meaning it is rated PG but its final score of 55 places it at the very bottom of the range of scores earned by PG-13 films (67 to 55 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database: just one point  above the scoring range earned by R-rated movies (54 and below out of 100); just one point  above R-PG. Does anyone remember what RPG stands for in terms of military weaponry? It is "Rocket Propelled Grenade." An RPG is what this film may be thought of in terms of potential damage to the developing moral standards of the, whether intentional, target audience who are quite likely the most morally vulnerable.

With animated behavior such as

  • Donkey and a throng of babies viewing Shrek nude from the front (front unseen by the viewer but his posterior seen in one case),
  • Charming killing two characters with a sword and ordering the villainy to "kill them all",
  • taking hostages at blade point,
  • drinking and drunkenness,
  • multiple episodes of attempted murder,
  • watching an arrow sink into the shoulder of a character,

    Shrek the Third  is not a toy. Regarding character babies viewing male frontal nudity, I am not surprised. Mike Meyers has twice that I know of, Shrek the Third  being one, played characters which appeared nude to a baby or babies. The first time I know of was as Austin Powers as he pranced nude in a PG-13 film with an animated baby watching him, the baby's head hiding Meyers' genitals from the viewer.

    The following scoring data comparative should help you grasp the gravity of the decay in the Shrek  films.


    The first obvious matter revealed by the comparative is the final scoring: 2001 - 81; 2004 - 74; 2007 - 55. A downhill trend. Both the 2001 and the 2004 versions are true PG films earning scores equivalent to the PG films in the comparative baseline database. But the 2007 version dropped to one point out of 12 from the top of the scoring range earned by R-rated films (54 and below out of 100). None of the individual examples of ignominy were particularly extreme but there were so many of them, thus giving credence to our CAP Rule of 1000 discovery which states a film with many issues of "bad", each being seemingly innocuous (such as Shrek the Third), is as influential and maybe more so than a film with few issues of "bad" but each being rather extreme such as typically associated with R-rated films. I will leave to you other conclusions made evident by the comparative.
    Let us hope Shrek 4  and Shrek 5  (already in the works) are a little better.

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
    Some of the issues of violence are shown above. Others include a barroom brawl, vandalism, action violence (repeatedly). choosing to use violence to settle conflicts, many threats to kill and threats with blades Just as God [1 Cor. 15:33] and the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and other professional health agencies warned us, such "communication" negatively influences many. See Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children Congressional Public Health Summit for more information regarding the influence of violence in and as entertainment. [Prov. 16:29]

    Impudence/Hate (I)
    There are no noted uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary in the entire 84 minutes of Shrek the Third. There are, however, a number of examples of impudence such as lying, flatulence, tattoos, "I said whatever I had to say", disrespect of "father", posterior humor and social warfare. Teens freely show disrespect to their elders. [Rev. 22:14, Mal. 4:1, 1Tim. 5:1]

    Sexual Immorality (S)
    The ugly sister with the man's voice is back. In the other Shreks  there was nothing to clearly identify this man as being anything but a woman with a man's voice but the character made me uncomfortable nonetheless. For a good reason evidently. This character is a man in queen drag. A secular review of Shrek the Third  said so as well. I did not include this matter in the scoring of the other Shreks  because of the obviously engineered ambiguity of the matter but have done so this time since corroboration of the matter was found. Retrofitting the other Shrek  reports would not change the scoring enough to make it worth the expense.

    In addition to the matter above of Shrek being seen as nude by story characters, Shrek and Fiona are in bed with him nude as evidenced by Donkey's comment when Donkey is exposed to Shrek under the sheets from his feet up. Yes, that is a rude thing to say but it is right there on the screen and in the script, all for your PG-aged viewers. Also, Shrek is seen nude from the rear as he stands nude before hundreds of babies. One more thing. A brassier is burned by Fiona and her platoon of female commandos in defiance of their gender. [1 John 2:26, James 1:21]

    Drugs/Alcohol (D)
    In Shrek the Third  there are scenes in a bar and of drinking and drunkenness. As revealed by American College of Physicians (ACP), to expose children to drinking/drunkenness in and as entertainment is dangerous. Their finding revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment leads to undeniable 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% were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted from viewing R-rated movies.

    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 (see R-13 and four years later by Harvard University scientists (see Harvard Agrees With Us). And by our finding in Investigation Area Scoring and Trend in CAP Entertainment Media Investigations it is not so much the alcohol and drinking as it is the attitude portrayed. The bottom line? The focus is the influence of adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment is undeniable regardless of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) classification.

    Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was

  • 46% for those with no restrictions
  • 16% for those with partial restrictions
  • four percent for those with complete restrictions.

    Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? Well!? If the MPAA is going to label all films with smoking in them with the R rating, shouldn't films with drinking be included? And emboldening children to sin with drink in and as entertainment screams of violating Luke 17:2. Even the University of Connecticut corroborates our finding and that of the ACP. [Eph. 5:18]

    There is even a scene in Shrek the Third  which "pokes fun" at a film which had teenage boys falling out of a parked van intoxicated with dope. I don't remember the film title but Sean "Dude!" Penn was one of them.

    Offense to God (O)
    Witches and witchcraft are present in Shrek the Third. Witchcraft is used to control, intimidate and do harm [Deut. 18:10 - 11, Eph. 5:11] as well as unholy "magic" being used to do good. [Isa. 5:20] Prince Charming is seen often as being divisive and stirring up dissension to facilitate his aggression. [Prov. 6:16 - 19]

    Murder/Suicide (M)
    Prince Charming is seen callously and apathetically slicing to death by sword two characters as if the murder victims were disposable. [Ex 20:13]

    By the way, in the trailers selected for the showing I attended, Bart Simpson is seen frontally nude with a French fry hiding the most intimate features of his gender-specific parts, about the same amount of Austin Powers' flesh hidden by the baby's head. Come quickly, Jesus! We are morally attacking our children!

    I know this report paints a rather dark picture of Shrek the Third  what is there is there. Shrek the Third  is, however, quite probably a good example of fulfilling the prophecy of Ps. 12:8, Jude 4, Col. 2:8 and Eph. 4:19.


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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 entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good. [The issue is the violence. "A violent man" can be a man, woman OR the men/women/character demonstrating the violent behavior/action on the screen. Now you know why violence, especially in and as entertainment, can embolden the viewer into aggression, especially youth. See also "Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children Congressional Public Health Summit" . Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV. And see 1 Cor. 15:33 below.]
  • Rev. 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city [eternal life in Heaven]. For without [outside Heaven] are dogs [dogs (animals) and metaphorically, a man of impure mind, an impudent man], ...
  • Mal. 4:1 "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
  • 1Tim. 5:1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, ...
  • 1 John 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. ["These things I have written" includes lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes from 1 John 2:16. An example of "them that seduce you" includes they who demonstrate sexual sin, however innocuous it may seem, in and as entertainment which can "seduce" the viewer, can lead one astray by desensitizing one and emboldening him/her to believe sexually immoral deeds, thoughts and display are acceptable OR by eroding one's natural inhibition against sexually immoral deeds and thoughts. And anything in and as entertainment that draws the viewer's attention to sexuality, sexual deeds and the private parts, clothed or not, seen or not is sexual.]
  • James 1:21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
  • 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. 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.
  • Isa. 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
  • Deut. 18:10 - 11 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
  • Eph. 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
  • Prov. 6:16 - 19 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
  • Ex 20:13 Thou shalt not kill. (NIV) You shall not murder.
  • Eph. 4:19 Having lost all sensitivity, they [the sinful] have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
  • Matt. 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment [krisis: accusation, trial]: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca [senseless, empty headed: a term of reproach among Jews at the time of Christ], shall be in danger of the council [any session or assembly or people deliberating or adjudicating]: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool [moros: impious, godless], shall be in danger of hell fire.

    ***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.)


    Shrek the Third (2007) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
  • sword impalement
  • action violence, repeatedly
  • death by old age
  • threat to do harm, repeatedly
  • barroom brawl
  • vandalism
  • choosing violence to settle conflict
  • hostages by blade
  • "Kill 'em all"
  • pickpocket theft
  • blade threat, repeatedly
  • planning to kill
  • arrow impalement
  • attempted murder, repeatedly
  • order to kill

    Impudence/Hate (I)
  • posterior humor, repeatedly
  • tattoos, repeatedly
  • flatulence, repeatedly
  • lies, repeatedly
  • belittling "father", repeatedly
  • social warfare
  • "I said what I had to say"

    Sexual Immorality (S)
  • man and woman characters in bed with him nude (unseen) by statement of support character
  • character in underwear, repeatedly
  • cartoon rear male nudity
  • "He makes me hotter than ..." by male character
  • "drag queen", repeatedly
  • burning a brassier
  • use of sex appeal to manipulate
  • crotch humor
  • sexual innuendo

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • booze
  • drinking
  • drunkenness
  • satire scene of smoking dope by teens

    Offense to God (O)
  • witches, many
  • stirring up dissension, repeatedly
  • witchcraft to control, intimidate, do harm, repeatedly
  • using unholy magic to do good, repeatedly
  • evil "enchanted" trees
  • "Fool" [Matt. 5:22]

    Murder/Suicide (M)
  • two blade murders














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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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