MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Why do you review R rated movies?

Here’s my answer:

While there are many Christians who make it a habit to not attend R-rated movies, there are many United Methodists who do.  While there is no doubt that often the violence, language or sexual content in R-rated films can be offensive at times, it’s important to review these films nevertheless.  
R rated films often deal with important subject matter.  “Precious” is extremely brutal in its depiction of an abused teenage girl, but it is ultimately a film about hope and the importance of community, two themes that should be of interest to Christians.  

R rated films often deal with spiritual themes.  “The Book of Eli” was even promoted as a spiritual film by its distributor, and “The Passion of the Christ” was a box-office hit, primarily due to Christian audiences.

PG-13 films actually trouble me more often, for filmmakers are constantly pushing the envelope to include as much suggestive and “adult themed” material as possible to appeal to the youth audience.

Such major magazines as Christianity Today and The Christian Century review R rated films as a common practice.  

My goal as a reviewer is to reflect upon “The Message in the Movies” and also give as detailed a “halo and pitchfork” rating as possible, so that no one needs to be blindsided into going to see a film that they might find upsetting.

I also want to encourage everyone to take their faith to the movies with them, to discuss what they have just seen, and to be aware that our popular culture says a great deal about what’s going on in the world today.  

Kick-A** Rated R

Directed by Matthew Vaughan.  Starring Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage

Photo © Lionsgate
Movie Review by Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

I’m such an old guy. 

I remember back in the day when I was attending The Ohio State University and A Clockwork Orange was released in 1971.  It was a crazy science fiction film that imagined a world in which “a bit of the old ultra violence” was the new pornography.  Gangs of street thugs would get their kicks by brutalizing innocent people. 

Filmgoers were shocked by its scenes of torture and rape staged as comedy.  Ah, those were the days! 

Now it seems that every week brings another ironic wink-wink-nudge-nudge-know-what-I-mean action-packed violence-laded piece of popular entertainment. 

Kick-Ass is based on a comic book that tells the story of Dave Lizewsky (Johnson), a nerdy teen who orders a scuba suit from the internet and decides to turn himself into a superhero.  He calls himself “Kick-Ass” and walks the streets to confront crime, promptly getting beat up for his efforts.

At a convenience store confrontation, the superhero is caught on video and becomes an immediate sensation.  His valiant actions capture the attentions of a father (Nicolas Cage) and daughter  (Chloe Grace Moretz) who are also involved in costumed vigilantism, calling themselves “Big Daddy” and “Hit Girl”.  These two, however, have an arsenal of weapons and know how to use them. 

Everything is quite silly, with knives and assault weapons and flying suits and bazookas coming into play.  Limbs are severed, blood gushes, people say bad words. 

And the toughest fighter of all is “Hit Girl” who is just 11 years old!  Actress Chloe Grace Moretz, who plays “Hit Girl”, isn’t old enough to buy a ticket to see Kick-Ass, but I’m sure that her dad will take her to the movies.  After all, it’s all in fun! 

Nic Cage seems to have the best time, saying his lines like Adam West from the 1960s Batman TV show. 

But, here’s the thing.  The film could have been called Kick Butt, the fighting could have been suggestive rather than graphic, and the swearing removed to make it a PG rated depiction of good vs. evil.  But that wouldn’t have been hip. 

The film is well-made and fast-moving and it’s obvious that everyone knoes that it’s just pretend.  But I still hope that Kick-Ass underperforms at the box office, because the “good old ultra violence” is getting pretty old.  It would be nice to see movies grow up.

Pitchfork Rating:
One halo. A lot of creativity went into producing this two hour nihilistic fantasy trip..

Four picthforks. For gratuitous violence, brief nudity, crude sex jokes, drug use, and pervasive swearing.

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