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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 MAR2012.046  (2012), PG-13 [R-13*] (89.3min) 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): CBS Films, Cross Creek Pictures in association with Hammer Studios and Alliance Films a Talisman Production in association with Exclusive Media Group and The UK Film Council Distribution (US): Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director(s): James Watkins Producer(s): Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes, Brian Oliver, Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, Marc Schipper, Neil Dunn, Xavier Marchand, Tyler Thompson, Roy Lee, Paul Ritchie, Ben Holden, Todd Thompson, Vic David, Sean Wheelan Screenplay by: Jane Goldman Based on the Novel by Susan Hill Cinematography/Camera: Tim Maurice-Jones Music: Marco Beltrami Film Editing: Jon Harris Casting: Karen Lindsay Stewart Production Design: Kave Quinn Art Direction: Kaye Grimble Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD Harry Potter™ (Daniel Radcliffe) continues his cinematic life in both the unholy supernatural realm and in the R-13 realm. But this time he swish-n-flicks no wands and there is no Hermoine to protect him. Radcliffe is this time all grown up as Arthur Kipps and is not a sorcerer but a lawyer (though popular opinion may make the two indistinguishable). Kipps is sent to a manor on Eel Marsh property to wade through a mountain of paperwork to settle the estate of the now deceased owner. Though warned a number of times about going to the Marsh, Kipps braves the urban legends because this is his last chance to make good at his job. Kipps lost his wife, Stella (Sophie Stuckey) at the birth of their son Joseph (Misha Handley). Kipps' grief has put his legal career in jeopardy. It seems everyone in the small village is keeping a secret. A secret about Jennet (Liz White). Jennet is dead. She hung herself after her son was drowned in the marsh muck and no one tried to recover his body. Since then Jennet, rather the ghost of Jennet has been wreaking havoc on the townspeople's through the children. The film starts with three young girls committing suicide by jumping out an attic window at the bequest of an unseen presence -- the Woman in Black. This scene sets the stage for the film ... children being killed by suicide. But to give the content a little positivity, this PG-13 film is most atypical of the average PG-13 film in that it is not saturated with teens using profanity in every other sentence, having sex (more than once) and drinking/getting drunk. 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) - 25 out of 100 Kipp contemplates suicide with a straight razor at his neck. Dead bodies are somewhat frequent. The film continuously presents a theme of doom. A little girl heaves blood and dies. A character nearly runs over several townspeople with his car. Reference is made to the suicide of an adolescent. Mothers are effectively shown in deep anguish for the loss of their children. The extrication of a young boy's body from the marsh portrays significant peril. And the decayed remains of a woman are seen. Reminding our readers of God's Word about violence seems apropos here. God warns of embracing violence in many verses throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament. Proverb 16:29 addresses the matter quite succinctly. Proverb 16:29 warns that violence is "catching": that violence can lead one into the path that is not good. Since God has "published His findings" about the influence of violence, man has done likewise by four professional public health agencies warning that viewing violence in and as entertainment can, among other things, lead the observer, especially the young to real life violence and can cause the observer to believe that violence is an effective way to settle conflict. One of the properties of violence is that one type of violence can embolden other types of violence. Viewing entertainment violence can lead to increases in aggressive attitudes, values and behavior, particularly in children. It agitates the witness of it into a reduction of coping skills and leads to lashing out and desire for vengeance. Whether the violence is the type stirred up by seeing, for example, injury due to violent actions or being a victim of violence, the influence emboldens violent emotions and gives birth to aggression. I will add here a margin note that the influence of "violence" in the above finding can be replaced with "arrogance/rebellion", "sexual irresponsibility", "profanity", etc. and the applicability of finding can still be solid and accurate. What this means regarding the violence of the type in this film is that it can transpose into other types of violence. And even further, "respect", "noble speech", "honesty" and any number of other positive character traits can likewise be inserted in place of "violence." Impudence/Hate (I) - 96 out of 100 Only once was any profanity used. No other portrayals were noted which apply to this content investigation area. Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 There was no sexually immoral behavior or imagery found throughout the 89.3 minutes of the program. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 37 out of 100 Kipps' boss clips a cigar. Several times alcoholic beverages of one kind or another are seen and drinking of them is seen. The American College of Physicians (ACP) found that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The report 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% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was There is nothing to say that viewing smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking. Actually, the same matter of behavior implantation applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior. Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 The content of the film incorporated into the scoring by this investigation area is so extensive that to try to summarize it all in the space here would be unproductive. Please look to the listing in the Findings section for a complete accounting of the findings applicable to this investigation area. It might be advisable to remind our readers that God warns of communicating with or consulting the dead as is portrayed in this film. [Deut. 18:10 - 12] Murder/Suicide (M) - 48 out of 100 There are four suicides by little girls in this film and a woman committing suicide by hanging herself. Though the woman is "already dead" it is still self hanging. The little girl who drank lye, likely at the bequest of the woman in black, and then died may very well have been a suicide as well. One might ask "How is suicide a sin?" Suicide is murder ... murder of the self. 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) - 25 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 96 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 37 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 48 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 |
