Media Alert!
May 2025
BLOG #66
Sue Summers
MediaSavvyKids.org
“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:2 (The Message)
“Violence as Entertainment”
Concerns about violence in American entertainment have been voiced for many years. The Motion Picture Association of America began rating movies based on content in 1968 and since the inception, the majority of movies are R-rated. However, today’s R-rated movies feature more graphic violence, language, and sexual content compared to earlier decades. Our neighborhood movie theaters are the proof.
For example, a nearby movie theater is offering 10 movies this week. Here are the summaries:
Final Destination: Bloodlines – rated R
“Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.”
Thunderbolts* – rated PG13
“In ‘Thunderbolts*’ Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes –Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?”
Sinners – rated R
“Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.”
Hurry Up Tomorrow – rated R
“A musician plagued by insomnia is pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence. AMC has been advised that this film contains sequences with flashing lights that may affect photosensitive viewers.”
The Accountant 2 – rated R
“Christian Wolff has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to ‘find the accountant,’ Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax, to help. In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina, they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.”
Clown in a Cornfield – rated R
“Quinn and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs, hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time. Welcome to Kettle Springs. The real fun starts when Frendo the clown comes out to play.”
Shadow Force – rated R
“In Shadow Force, Kyrah and Isaac were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. They broke the rules by falling in love, and in order to protect their son, they go underground. With a large bounty on their heads, and the vengeful Shadow Force hot on their trail, one family’s fight becomes all-out war.”
Fight or Flight – rated R
“Exiled American agent Lucas Reyes is given one last chance to redeem himself – the assignment is to track down and identify a mysterious, international high-value asset known only as The Ghost on a flight from Bangkok to San Francisco. Complicating matters, the plane is filled with assassins from around the world who are assigned to kill them both. The pair must work together in a fight for their lives. At 37,000 feet, the stakes have never been higher.”
Until Dawn – rated R
“One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one… only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening. Trapped in the valley, they’re forced to relive the nightmare again and again – only each time the killer threat is different, each more terrifying than the last. Hope dwindling, the group soon realizes they have a limited number of deaths left, and the only way to escape is to survive until dawn.”
Out of 10 movies playing, there is only one that can be considered family-friendly: A Minecraft Movie – rated PG.
And that’s just one local movie theater’s offerings this week… not even considering the many other streaming options available to teens.
Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, due out this month, had a budget approaching $400 million dollars.
There’s plenty of money invested in action and horror movies – and violence!
Enough said!
So how can we help teens become media-savvy about the culture that surrounds them?
How can we refine our youth’s exposure to unhealthy entertainment, their acceptance of violence, and perhaps even glorification of violence? How can we help them recall the Truth that every portrayal of a person is also a portrayal of God’s image bearer? We must encourage some critical thinking and spiritual discernment about viewing violence as entertainment. Here are some discussion starters meant to stimulate thinking in your family or group.
• Ask these questions and be sure to encourage discussion:
“Does all violence end in death?”
“What are some of the real-life consequences of violence?” (e.g., injury, hospital visit, unable to work, financial problems, long-term disabilities)
“Is violence ever justifiable?”
“What is the purpose of violence in entertainment?”
“Is violence ever funny?”
“Is violence okay if the ‘good guys’ cause it?”
• Lead a discussion of specific types of violence they have witnessed in movies, video games, Internet videos, and TV programs.
• Ask these questions:
“Why do you think people choose to watch violence in entertainment?”
“Is there a difference in our reactions between violence in entertainment and violence on the news?”
• Ask, “Do you ever feel uncomfortable watching violent images in movies and on TV? Why or why not?”
• Share, “If you are planning to see the newest Mission Impossible movie, count the number of deaths – of the bad guys, of course – that happen in the movie. Then we’ll discuss your reactions.”
• Ask, “Was there violence in any of the events in the Bible? Does the reality of violence in real life affect you?”
• Discuss real-life consequences of violence. Ask, “What happened to those people in these examples from the Bible?”
• Discuss, “What are some actions or choices for entertainment that could replace violence?”
Note: Share this blog with your church’s youth pastor as a lesson for youth group gatherings.
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Sue Summers is a Christian media analyst, teacher, author, and speaker.
She is the Director of Media Alert!
Contact Info:
Blogs: MediaSavvyKids.org
Website: http://www.MediaAlert.org
Email: Sue@MediaAlert.org
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