CAPCon ALERT

RED does not mean "stop." GREEN does not mean "go." Click on the CAPCon Alert image for explanation
CAP Movie Ministry
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

MAR24102
(2004), PG [PG-13*]
Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
November 19, 2004
62 out of 100
0.69
-77

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. More than 900 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more.
Give your visitors full access to over 900 CAP movie analyses! Place this image on your website and link it to
"http://www.capalert.com/
now_playing.htm"
Target="_Blank"


Click it to try it!

ALERT!!! We can no longer help you serve your little ones without your GENEROUS, TIMELY and CONSISTENT TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donations!  PLEASE . . . . . . .

Through PayPal

You DO NOT have to have a PayPal account.
OR by US Mail (preferred - no service charges).

Stay informed ...OBJECTIVELY...
on what Hollywood feeds your kids. SUBSCRIBE
to our FREE text-only email version of these reports and our COMING SOON notices.
Email this report to friends and
tell them about the CAP Ministry:






Christian Long Distance

SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:
(This section may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary likely using a mix of KJV and NIV.



(2004), PG [PG-13*] -- ...rear male cartoon nudity, repeatedly, is "mild crude humor"


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures, United Plankton Pictures
Distribution (US): Paramount Pictures
Director(s): Sherm Cohen, Stephen Hillenburg, Mark Osborne
Producer(s): Derek Drymon, Albie Hecht, Stephen Hillenburg, Aaron Parry, Julia Pistor, Gina Shay, Peter M. Tobyansen, Steven Wilzbach
TV Series and Story: Stephen Hillenburg
Written by: Derek Drymon, Tim Hill, Stephen Hillenburg, Kent Osborne, Aaron Springer, Paul Tibbett
Music: Gregor Narholz
Film Editing: Lynn Hobson
Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6


SpongeBob SquarePants (voice of Tom Kenny) figured he was the shoe-in for the manager position of the new Krusty Krabs 2 restaurant. But Mr. Krabs (voice of Clancy Brown), owner of Krusty Krabs felt since SpongeBob was still a boy that he was not qualified and gave the job to Squidward Tentacles (voice of Rodger Bumpass). SpongeBob was crushed and set out on a 6-day quest to change into a man. Maybe SpongeBob should stay a boy and not worry about the worries of the world yet since he still goes bananas over Gooby Goobers ice cream. Indeed, SpongeBob got "drunk" on Gooby Goobers ice cream with Patrick (voice of Bill Fagerbakke) and both suffered hangovers from it.

In the meantime, suffering the rage of jealously, Plankton (voice of Doug Lawrence) plotted to make his restaurant, the Chum Bucket as successful as the Krusty Krabs restaurants. By the way, "chum" is either a good friend or discarded fish parts. You decide which definition applies.

To make that happen, after exhausting Plan A through Plan Y Plankton implemented Pan Z which involved giving away free "CB" chum buckets to be worn on the head. The chum buckets were actually control devices that made a "Hail Plankton" zombie of the wearer. But for King Neptune (voice of Jeffrey Tambor) to wear one of the chum buckets, his crown would have to go. Plankton stole the king's crown and sent it to Shell City which was as much a place of wretched scum and villainy as Mos Eisley of Star Wars(tm).

Chief suspect for the theft of the king's crown was Mr. Krabs. King Neptune froze Mr. Krabs to ready him for execution. As judge, jury and executioner, King Neptune prepared to execute Mr. Krabs but Neptune's gentle daughter, Mindy Mermaid (Scarlett Johansson) stepped in and pleaded for Mr. Krabs. Through her softening of the king, SpongeBob had 6 days to find and return the king's crown.

To do that, SpongeBob must go to Shell City. SpongeBob, taking best friend Patrick Star (voice of Bill Fagerbakke) with him, "borrowed" Mr. Krabs' "car" with a sesame seed bun body, pickle wheels and a french fryer engine. Patrick, knowing SpongeBob is still a boy, asked about SpongeBob's license to drive. To that, SpongeBob said "You don't need a license to drive a sandwich." Fortunately, there is a little good, clean humor in this TV to big screen venture. More on the "humor" later.

To prevent SpongeBob from retrieving the crown, Plankton hired hit man, Dennis (voice of Alec Baldwin) to eliminate SpongeBob and Patrick. SpongeBob became Patrick Swazee in is own road trip to Shell City.

In Shell City ... I think that is enough of the summary of the show just in case you feel the content acceptable after reading the findings in the Findings/Scoring section. This film is rated PG for some mild crude humor. That is MPAA talk. If you agree that display of rear male cartoon nudity, repeatedly, is "mild crude humor" then the MPAA is right.

Maybe interesting to note, best friends SpongeBob and Patrick were the only ones in the show to flash bare backsides. Two other characters at a quick stop filling station on the road to Shell City were noted gleefully rubbing their posteriors together but at least they were clothed. As the assistant manager of the theater said about the show, "too much [posterior] in it."

Another example of "posterior" was Patrick carrying a banner much like the hand-held "Rah Rah team!" banners with the staff of it pinched like a thong strap between his nude posterior cheeks. Not my kind of fun, folks. One more. SpongeBob bares his backside. If you don't believe a round peg will fit into a square hole, just watch this movie. The filmmakers expect us to accept that SpongeBob's round posterior is suited for his square pants. Sort of makes the intent of the filmmakers clear, doesn't it. [**] How do I know SquarePants has a round bottom? Unfortunately I saw it in the movie. And so will your kids if they see the movie.

Other issues of "mild crude humor" include a suggestion of a centerfold magazine, a number of examples of drawing attention to "posterior", and Patrick saying things such as "Did you see my [posterior]?" and "You're hot!" while drooling over Mindy. And to top off the sexual content of this film was Patrick portraying sadomasochism by wearing black coarse-net hose with black spiked heel boots. [1 Cor. 15:33, Jude 4]. I do wonder why the writers had Patrick in the stereotype of sado-masochistic dress.

But "mild crude humor" is not all there is to the "lesser" assaults on decency. Smoldering eyeballs, oozing eyeballs, hiring of a killer, lying, portrayal of drunkenness [Eph. 5:18] and the hit man ripping the lips off two of the characters added to the easily questionable content of this film. [Eph. 5:4]

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie earned a final score of 62 which places it squarely in the range of scores earned by PG-13 movies in the comparative baseline database.

Granted, this film is but a cartoon with clearly fantasy characters. But it is the policy of the CAP Ministry to treat any onscreen animated behavior that can be reasonably duplicated by or subjected to a child as influential as if demonstrated by live actors/actresses. This is particularly important regarding age stratum of the target audience since other professionals, child development exerts, agree with me that it would be unusual for even a 16 year old child to be able to fully separate fantasy from reality or to be able to fully anticipate the consequences of his/her actions: that such capabilities do not plateau until the early 20s.


ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


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

**"Nakedness" (display of nudity) is spoken of as dark, restricted, undesirable, shameful, etc. 47 times in the KJV from Genesis to Revelation. [If the display of nudity is not okay with God in real life, what makes it okay in art?]
  • Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ["Wine" can be any intoxicating substance. Though it is not a sin to drink, it is a sin to get drunk. A recent study http://www.acponline.org/journals/ecp/janfeb02/dalton.pdf has found an undeniable link between the presentation of alcoholic beverages and tobacco in and as entertainment and abuse of them by adolescents. And teaching/causing youth to abuse alcohol/tobacco by emboldening youth with them in and as entertainment invokes Luke 17:2]
  • Eph. 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • 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, pay for 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 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (NIV) Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.
  • Rom. 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
  • Jude 4 For certain men* whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change [warp, distort, falsely represent, situationally redefine, counterfeit, conditionally apply] the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. [*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 [or for] one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto [or for] me.
  • Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. [cause by teaching or example]
  • Ps. 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; 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.


    ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo


    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 heart of the CAP Analysis Model)

    SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie (2004) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
  • slapping
  • slapstick violence
  • smoldering eyeballs
  • character on fire and nude
  • threat to kill, twice
  • theft
  • hiring of a killer
  • hit man ripping lips off two characters
  • fighting
  • brawl
  • oozing of eyes our of face
  • skulls
  • hits to face
  • character squashed with spiked boots

    Impudence/Hate (I)
  • series of lies
  • crude humor
  • exaggeration humor
  • morbid humor
  • name-calling, repeatedly
  • whispered three/four letter word, three times

    Sexual Immorality (S)
  • cartoon rear male nudity, repeatedly
  • suggestion of nudity
  • attention to posterior, repeatedly
  • suggestion of centerfold
  • "Did you see my [posterior]?"
  • pinching of banner staff between nude buttocks
  • "You're hot" from male character to and while drooling over female character
  • rubbing posteriors together
  • characters in underwear
  • partial rear nudity
  • suggestion of sadomasochism in transvestism

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • portrayal of drunkenness, twice
  • bar

    Offense to God (O)
  • use of "fool" to others, three times
  • magic to create fire/freezing to harm

    Murder/Suicide (M)
  • none noted





  • Christian Long Distance











    CLICK HERE

    YOUR LINK HERE?
    YOUR LINK HERE?
    YOUR LINK HERE?







    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 more than eight 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.



    Join Christian Banner Exchange Network Today!




    The ChildCare Action Project (CAP) is a nonprofit Christian ministry. We rely on public support. If you wish to contribute to the CAP, please send your donations to
    ChildCare Action Project
    Post Office Box 177
    Granbury, TX 76048-0177

    Your gifts are tax deductible in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Codes. Please feel free to write to us.



    You are welcome to go to the
    CAP Reports page
    or go to the
    Top of the CAP Home Page
    or the
    CAP Site Map (Table of Contents)
    or leave me an email message or comment at
    cap@capalert.com



    Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you. Prayerfully, we will provide you with some of the most revealing commentary and investigative reporting you have ever read.

    In the name of Jesus:
    Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.
    Tom Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project (CAP): Christian Analysis of American Culture
    100% dependent on your tax-deductible financial support

    Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry





    Since December 5, 2000


    The Fundamental Top 500

    ChristianStats Counter TEST
    Unique. Posted 5/24/04

    Christian Long Distance

    We exist only by your tax-deductible donations. PLEASE


    Features PayPal! You do NOT need an account to donate.



    Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Ministry
    A Nonprofit Christian Ministry EIN: 75-2607488

    CAP HOME PAGE