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MAR29030

(2009), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (2hr 22min)

Final Score
Analysis Date
Date Posted
Influence Density
MinMax
November 3, 2009
November 14, 209
32
1.82
-100

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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.



(2009), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] -- It is entertainment such as this...


Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Hasbro, Di Bonaventura Pictures
Distribution (US): Paramount Home Entertainment (DVD)
Director(s): Michael Bay
Producer(s): Kenny Bates, Michael Bay, Ian Bryce, Allegra Clegg, Matthew Cohan, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner, Don Murphy, Steven Spielberg, Mark Vahradian
Written by: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Cinematography/Camera: Ben Seresin
Music: Steve Jablonsky
Film Editing: Roger Barton, Tom Muldoon, Joel Negron, Paul Rubell
Casting: Denise Chamian
Production Design: Nigel Phelps
Art Direction: Julian Ashby, Jon Billington, Sean Haworth, Naaman Marshall, Ben Procter
Viewed on Paramount Home Entertainment DVD



This analysis is sponsored by the generosity of EH&P and McK.

The comparative data below for the two versions of Transformers, 2007 and 2009, is uncanny to say the least. Both versions earned identical final scores of 32! Each is a hardcore R-13. And they are both R-13 for the same reasons: in the same investigation areas with relatively minor differences!

The 2007 version displays a teeny bit less contempt for sexual humility than the 2009 version and the 2009 version shows a smidgen less contempt for God. While the 2007 version was drug-free, alcohol-free and tobacco-free the 2009 version had mom ingesting illegal drugs in some sort of food and getting high from it. And while there was a murder in the 2007 version there was none in the 2009 version. Everything else is saturated, causing the most parallel scoring distribution between an original version and its sequel I have ever seen. So, if you saw the 2007 version and felt it to be too offensive you can bet the 2009 will feel the same -- and for the same reasons in the same content areas. Following is proof by comparative.



Note, however, the general increase of the 2009 version in Examples per Hour (density) scores. Understand that Area Scores displayed as zero can indeed be and in many cases actually less than zero. But for display purposes, below-zero area scoring is meaningless. Analysis model display limiters prevent display of scores less than zero. But display limiters do not affect the investigation area Examples per Hour values. The higher examples per hour densities of the 2009 version over the same in the 2007 version are the reason for the increase in the Influence Density (ID) score from 1.60 to 1.82 which, by the way, corroborates the "R-ness" of both films since films in the comparative baseline database earned influence density scores from 0.75 to 2.04.

It is the same story with new material to make it a sequel. Little exists to make this version exceptional.

Last time it was Witwicky's grandfather's eyeglasses the Transformers were after. This time it is Witwicky's brain ... or rather what is in it. And Megatron, the quintessential Decepticon, is resurrected from the briny deep. And it is all embedded in the power of the Sun.

About 17,000 B.C. on the once powerful and just planet of Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers, was a titanic battle between the parent Cybertron empire - policed by the Autonomous Robotic Organisms Transformers (the Autobots), and the Decepticon Transformers - the evil faction of the good versus evil battle. The war ultimately consumed Cybertron. The All Spark Cube, the powerful device that gave existence to the Transformers, was lost into space to finally rest on earth. The General of the Decepticons, Megatron, a.k.a. NBE One (non-biological extraterrestrial) had crash landed on Earth to retrieve the Cube but laid dormant for millennia in the deep ice of the Arctic. In the 1930s, explorer Captain Archibald Witwicky (William Morgan Sheppard), Sam's grandfather disturbed Megatron which started a massive movement to destroy all mankind. Megatron imprinted a map of the location of the Cube on Capt. Witwicky's eyeglasses.

The Autobot Transformers had come to Earth to hide a sun-destroying weapon and a key to operate it. Decepticon Transformers, headed by Megatron (the equivalent of Darth Vader of Star Wars™ fame with the voice of Hugo Weaving) under the command of the Fallen (voice of Tony Todd, the equivalent of the Emperor in Star Wars), have come to the Earth to use that weapon to destroy Sol to gather its energy since the All Spark (the Cube) was made useless to the Decepticons in the last episode.

The Cube had the power to transform Earth's machines into Transformers. Only a sliver of it remains but a sliver is enough -- Samuel "Sam" James Witwicky (Shia La Beouf) has it. Optimus Prime (voice of Peter Cullen) and his band of merry Autobots: Bumblebee (voice by replay of famous radio voices); Ironhide (voice of Jeff Harnell); Jazz (voice of Darius McCrary); Ratchet (voice of Robert Foxworth), with the help of "LadiesMan217" Sam and his girlfriend, Mikaela Barnes (Megan Fox), fight the Decepticons to prevent them from destroying Sol and inherently all of mankind.

On the surfaced there seems to be little point to the plot and story ... just a lot of heavy noise, violence and eye candy. But paying close attention reveals a somewhat complex but lengthy yet well-woven plot in spite of the flash-bang, boom-boom-thumpa-boom and sometimes frustrating surface. It is an age-old story of good guys versus bad guys. Usually the good guys wear white hats and the bad guys wear black hats but in this case the good guys have blue eyes and the bad guys have red eyes.

The theme and story is so much the same as the 2007 version there is little benefit is going into any greater detail about it. The 2009 version is just as violent, just as sexual, just as profane and presents just as much contempt for God's name.

Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100
There is just as much killing and assaults to kill, just as much intense sci-fi action violence in this latest version of the Transformers franchise as in the first version. One scene of death stands out as the Decepticons destroy an aircraft carrier and the viewer sees from below many drowned and drowning bodies slowly sinking into the ocean. In words these matters do not have the impact and sensory engulfing power of modern filmmaking technology. There are so many examples of individual acts and lengthy sequences of violence and assault that it would take more time and space than is merited when each is itemized in the Findings/Scoring section above (the heart of the CAP Analysis Model). Please look to the Wanton Violence/Crime list in the Findings/Scoring section for a complete accounting of the examples of how this film violates God's Word about violence [Prov. 16:29].

Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100
There are 49 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary in this film plus one use of the most foul of the foul words. [2 Tim. 2:16, Col. 3:8] Cruelty [Prov. 11:17], lies [Rev. 21:8] adolescent disrespect of parents [Eph. 6:2] and one case of alien flatulence [Isa. 13:11] fill out the loss of points required to give the film's content found by this investigation an equivalence to many R-rated films in the comparative baseline database.

Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100
Megan Fox again wears clothing (I say "clothing" loosely) and assumes poses to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure and to draw attention to the female-specific anatomy for much of her screen time. It seems the only contribution of Fox is eye candy. In addition, one of the Decepticons takes on the form of a female human and displays her under-dress skin abundantly, including panty-covered crotch skin as she crawls atop Sam to French-kiss her tongue-tipped 10-foot appendage down his gullet. Sex talk, sexual innuendo, a lap dance, rear male g-strap nudity and sexual invitations, including an invitation to cohabitate, abound throughout most of the entire 142 minutes of the show. And Mojo, Sam's dog tries to have intercourse with another dog ... twice. Oh yeah, a little alien robot tries to have dog-style intercourse with Mikaela's leg, too, ... twice. And the purpose of Mikaela falling from the sky face-first onto the lower trunk of Sam's friend was clear. It is entertainment such as this, over and over and over in almost every walk of life with progressively increasing vulgarity that creates such a contempt for sexual humility in our kids who should not yet be "sexual" at all. [Eph. 5:4, Gal. 5:19, 1Ths. 4:1-5]

Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 88 out of 100
The only instance of programming applicable to this investigation area was Sam's mom becoming drug-intoxicated.

Offense to God (O) - 6 out of 100
God's name in varying formats was used in vain 35 times [Deut. 5:11]. This plus the entire film being based on seeking revenge [Rom. 12:19] and a claim of godhood were enough to cause the loss of all but 6 of the starting 100 points in this investigation area.

Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100
Deaths by battle/war (and police action) are not incorporated into this investigation area but are incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. The many "murders" by the aliens in battle were thus not counted as murder.


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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 "justified" it might seem, and its effect on the observer. "A violent man" can be any character(s) of any age, male, female or non-human in the act of demonstrating 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 American professional health agencies 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. Further, God speaks darkly of violence 56 times in the Old and New Testament of the KJV.]
  • 2 Tim. 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
  • 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.
  • Prov. 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
  • Rev. 21:8 But the {unforgiven} fearful [cowardly], and unbelieving, and the abominable [vile], and murderers, and whoremongers [sexually immoral], and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
  • Eph. 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;
  • Isa. 13:11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. [Yes, it is arrogance and haughtiness against wholesomeness which gives us the impudence to desensitize us against common courtesy regarding private body functions in and as entertainment.]
  • Eph. 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
  • Gal. 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ["Acts" of sexual immorality can include all things that draw attention to sexual matters//functions, including erotic dress, undress, forcing attention on private areas covered or not, teasing, exhibitionism, etc.]
  • 1Ths. 4:1-5 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his [or her] own body [which includes control of drives, touching, seeking, lusting (even after images), promiscuity, etc.] in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; [Be master of your body and urges, not a slave to them. Be not a seeker of any manner of sexually-oriented imagery or behavior outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage. For any sexual contact (including visual), conduct or activity outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage is sinful.]
  • Rom. 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
  • 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 an expletive. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or responsible discussion is in vain. That includes the popular three-syllable sentence with His name as the last syllable AND the misuse of Jesus' name or title. So, trying to excuse such expressions with "I was talking to God/Jesus when I said that" will not work with Him.]
  • 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.)


    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (YEAR) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100
  • battle violence: crushing, killing, repeatedly
  • disaster violence: evacuation - toxic spill
  • dangerous traffic maneuvers, repeatedly
  • sci-fi terror/horror, repeatedly
  • military weaponry, frequent
  • assault to kill and/or do harm, repeatedly
  • action violence with deaths & killing, of varying intensities, frequent
  • threat of stripping flesh from bones and other torture, repeatedly
  • gunfire to kill, frequent
  • car theft
  • abduction
  • scene of many drowning deaths
  • firearms to control, throughout
  • rocket assaults to kill, repeatedly
  • assault with tazer

    Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100
  • 49 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary, one of them at a child
  • one use of the most foul of the foul words
  • adolescent disrespect of father
  • lies
  • cruelty
  • alien flatulence and urination

    Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100
  • animal copulation, twice
  • pose and/or dress to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure, frequent
  • sex talk
  • invitation to cohabitate
  • sexual innuendo re: talking dirty on the phone
  • girl undressing with show of underwear
  • reference to a vulgar sexual gesture
  • sexual aggression by female (lap dance in short dress)
  • invitation for sex, repeatedly
  • sexual innuendo re: intercourse and other sexually immoral acts, repeatedly
  • gamming
  • woman on man in bed with sexual advances to seduce, repeatedly
  • sight of woman's underwear under short dress while climbing on a man
  • upward camera angle to force viewer on female underwear under short dress, twice
  • talk of intercourse in a dream
  • rear male nudity in g-string, twice, with camera angled upward
  • adult underwear, repeatedly
  • reference to male anatomy
  • small alien robot "copulating" dog style with a woman's leg, twice
  • additional anatomical references, repeatedly
  • excessive cleavage
  • intimate male anatomy portrayed on an alien robot

    Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 88 out of 100
  • eating of illegal drugs cooked into food
  • drug intoxication

    Offense to God (O) - 6 out of 100
  • 35 uses of God's name in vain
  • seeking revenge
  • claim of godhood
  • calling someone "fool" [Matt. 5:22]

    Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100
  • none noted















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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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