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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 MAR2011.126  (2011), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (2hr 26min) 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): A Don Murphy / Tom DeSanto Production, a Di Bonaventura Pictures Production, an Ian Bryce Production Distribution (US): Paramount Director(s): Michael Bay Producer(s): Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Do Murphy, Ian Bryce, Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Brian Goldner, Mark Vahradian, Men Bates, Allegra Clegg Written by: Ehren Kruger, based on Hasbro's Transformersª Action Figures Cinematography/Camera: Amir Mokri Music: Steven Jablonsky Film Editing: Roger Barton, William Goldenberg, Joel Negron Casting: Denise Chamian Production Design: Nigel Phelps Viewed on Paramount Home Entertainment DVD  Transformers: Dark of the Moon is almost as "R" as R-13 can get. This film is R-equivalent in Wanton Violence / Crime, in Impudence / Hate (profanity), in Sexual Immorality and in Murder / Suicide. At least it is PG-13 equivalent in Drugs / Alcohol and Offense to God. Its final score of 39 places the content of this film deeply into the scoring range earned by R-rated films (54 and below out of 100) in the comparative baseline database. Below is a scoring data comparative display that reveals the three Transformers episodes are three "R" peas from the same pod.  As a result of a war on Cybertron between the freedom-seeking Autobots and the tyrannical Decepticons, an Autobot ship carrying a secret cargo "that would have changed the planet's fate" crash landed on our moon. The crash, detected by Earth monitors, was of great interest to President Kennedy. So much interest that the Apollo 11 project is reported to have a covert driving purpose, a purpose not at all to be the first on the moon for scientific reasons but to find out what it was that hit the moon and to do so before the Russians. Though sworn to secrecy, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin certainly find out what it was that hit the moon. Clever it is of the writers to capitalize on American space history for a subplot of the story. The filmmakers even used file footage of J. F. Kennedy, one of those old teletypewriter machines and reel-to-reel tape recorders that have since been discontinued. The writers even cleverly used the Chernobyl event to provide a device to build the story. The secret cargo of the Autobot ship is pillars that will build a bridge through space which will provide a transport path to Cybertron. That's enough spoiling of the story. This film is indeed a clever and very well made work of entertainment that could be truly entertaining to the sci-fi fan. Too bad the filmmakers had to add so much sexual material and profanity to the often intense violence. Now to that which most of you visit us -- to the content. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 Violence is intense at times, and frequent. Highlights of the violence content include: action violence sequences of varying intensities, some graphic, frequent, many with deaths and body scattering; multiple firearm threats with assault; massive destruction repeatedly. Though I am probably beginning to sound like a broken record by repeating the same warnings about violence, Proverb 16:29 warns us that violence is "catching.". And by man's word, four professional public health agencies echo God's warning by jointly reporting that violence in and as entertainment can lead to violence in real life and cause the viewer to believe violence is a viable way to settle conflict. Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Thirty nine times someone utters some form of profanity. In addition there are five uses of the most foul of the foul words, three of them muffled or incomplete but obvious. [Col. 3:8, Eph 4:29] There are a few other matters of impudence shown in the listing in the Findings section such as treachery and betrayal throughout. [2Tim. 3:1 - 5] Sexual Immorality (S) - 20 out of 100 The caliber of the sexually immoral content is clearly focused at freshly pubescent boys (or pubescent wannabes) who will drool at almost anything to do with the female body. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley shows enough of it, especially when she gets out of a car in a very short dress, apparently without wearing any underwear. She shows enough of her skin for the magnitude of the sexually immoral content to be equivalent to many R-rated films, not in extreme display/behavior but in the total number of them. See our CAP Rule of 1000 for more information about the technique of loading the content of films with tons of "lesser" examples of assault on morality to get the same "feel" as films with more extreme examples. Rather than describe any more of the instances of inappropriate display/behavior here, let the listing in the Findings section suffice. [1 Thess. 4:3 - 7] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 77 out of 100 Booze is displayed a number of times as is drinking of alcoholic beverages. Offense to God (O) - 72 out of 100 God's name in abused 11 times but each time without the four letter expletive, not that leaving off the four letter expletive excuses abuse of His name. God is not slack on holding accountable they who abuse His name. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 53 out of 100 Portrayal of murder is demonstrated several times by the aliens murdering humans and one of their own execution style. The total number of murders is uncountable since the aliens also implement mass murder of humans more than once. 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) - Zero out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 20 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 77 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 73 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 52 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 |