- The Terminator
- T2: Judgment Day
- T2:3D B.A.T
- T:SCC
- T3: Rise of the Machines
- T4: Salvation
- T5: Genesis
- T6: ?!
ChildCare Action Project Christian Analysis of T3
ChildCare Action Project (CAP) introduced the CAP MOVIE MINISTRY© ; The #1 Christian entertainment analysis service on the planet! We give you objective tools no one else can to help you make an informed decision on your own whether a film is fit for your family! A service to His little ones (which includes at-home teens) through you, their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word.
I am not a seasoned movie reviewer, screenwriter or anything else but I have performed analysis of more than 700 films. And except for the shape-shifting of the T-X Terminatrix (Kristanna Loken) and other obvious events, I could not tell when live action ended and computer aided graphics (cgi) began. The incorporation of the two in action sequences was seamless to these eyes.
The plot was not such that you could check your brain at the door nor was the show belabored by the plot. The symbiosis between plot and story was not confounded by a bunch of sometimes confusing subplots. Character and history building was not high priority since this is the third in the Terminator trilogy. Knowledge of the previous two Terminators was necessary to make the most sense of this one.
This is an R-rated film in every sense, mom/dad. Including a number of views of full male and female nudity with lesser shots of rear male and female nudity [**] plus much use of potty mouth language [Titus 2:6-8]. If passed through a curse filter and finger on the stop button to avoid the nudity, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines would be much less invasive. The foul language is freckled throughout the show about every 2.5 minutes but the nudity appears only a short time after each of the two times that the time traveling terminators appear. Each is announced by a flashing electric arcing display in spherical pattern. Shutting the tape player off, forwarding the tape about five tape minutes before restarting it for each of the two times the terminators enter the show should prevent exposure to the nudity. But avoiding exposure to the foul language would not be possible without a curse filter.
Violence was intense [Prov. 3:31-32]. And nearly nonstop. A road chase sequence involving nearly everything that rolls, including the world's largest mobile crane, rivals any ever produced including that in The Matrix Reloaded. Property damage was immense. When the T-X Terminator became Kate's dead boyfriend and offered to help the police find Kate, the Terminatrix shoved her arm through the driver's seat back and through the driver's chest, then flexed her fingers dripping with blood. And, of course, the new T-101 Terminator (still Arnold Schwarzenegger) does self surgery to get to his inner workings ... again. This time instead of stripping the flesh off his left forearm, he cuts open his abdomen to retrieve a failing power cell.
Language is as intense. [Col. 3:8, Prov. 22:11] Including the three/four letter word vocabulary, the most foul of the foul words AND God's name in vain with AND without the four letter expletive [Deut. 5:11]. With a language density of about 2.5 uses per minute, there is no way the invasive language could be avoided without a curse filter.
Wanton Violence/Crime
- action violence, some exceptionally graphic and invasive of the senses, frequent
- field full of skulls
- motorcycle wreck
- speeding
- reckless driving, repeatedly
- breaking and entering, repeatedly
- car theft
- firearm threats, repeatedly
- licking blood, twice
- beatings, repeatedly
- pedestrian hit with truck, graphic
- assault of police officer
- vehicular violence, some exceptionally graphic and invasive of the senses, frequent
- massive property destruction
- injury gore and cyber gore, repeatedly
- self cutting of flesh, graphic
- kidnapping
- various assault
- threat to kill self with gun at head
- RV theft
- multiple murder victims
- images of world-wide nuclear destruction
Impudence/Hate
- 26 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary
- three uses of the most foul of the foul words
- vulgar anatomical reference
Sex/Homosexuality
- full female nudity, repeatedly
- rear female nudity, repeatedly
- adult in underwear
- cohabitation for sex
- exaggeration of female anatomy
- full male nudity
- rear male nudity
- talk of teen immorality as expected and acceptable, repeatedly
- many women lusting after nudity
- strip dancing (nudity not seen) to excite
Drugs/Alcohol
- drinking
- bar
- teen drinking party
- illegal drug use
Offense to God
- five uses of God's name in vain with the four letter expletive and nine without
- revelry
Murder/Suicide
- gunfire murder, repeatedly
- murder by rotating tool (off screen with splatter)
- impalement murder (arm through chest)
- murder by blow to head
- massive murders by gunfire
For a full review, detailed graphs and more info on the ChildCare Action Project (CAP), visit the Capalert.com website.
Scriptual application(s)
If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is bracketed [ ]. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source.
** "Nakedness" (display of nudity) is spoken of as dark, restricted, undesirable, shameful, etc. 47 times in the KJV from Genesis to Revelation.
- Titus 2:6-8 Similarly, encourage the young men [and women] to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
- Prov. 3:31-32 Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
- Col. 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
- Prov. 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
- Deut. 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain [shav' {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity]: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. [With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or thoughtful discussion is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name.]
*** Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry
- Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences to younger and younger audiences every year] when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, pay for it, enjoy it, want 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 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (NIV) Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.
- Jude 4 For certain men* whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change [warp, distort, falsely represent, situationally redefine, counterfeit, conditionally apply] the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. [*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 [or for] one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto [or for] me.
- Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. [cause by teaching or example]
- Ps. 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; 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.
