Guide Magazine Movie Reviews

[immanuel]

Guide Magazine, which is designed for ages 10-14, has a section on their website called Screen Smart which has reviews on movies and other media. Do you think that this is a good idea?

Here are some of the movies reviewed, with a part of the review:

Man of Steel (Superman)

For a movie coming out of Hollywood, I was surprised at some of the underlying messages. It seemed to me that there were a few subtle built-in references to being wise stewards of our resources, protecting and valuing natural human life, a little bit of a slam on evolution, and a warning against bio-technology. Superman also goes to church. Granted, comics have always been a place where people put forth social messages, but I was surprised that the messages were so conservative, when most movies promote a different worldview.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit contains some great themes--loyalty, responsibility, friendship, self-sacrifice, facing fears, fighting for a cause you believe in, championing justice, honor, character growth that can only come from trying experiences, etc. The list goes on. These are themes and characteristics that Jesus and other inspired Bible writers talked about ... Magic and wizardry, in the movie, are considered both good (if used by the right "wizard") or bad (if used by a "bad wizard"). In the Bible, there's only one kind of wizardry: the kind God hates. I'm sure you are all smart enough to know that magic (not sleight of hand tricks, but the kind that is powered by Satan) is stupid and dangerous, so I won't beat that to death...but it's good to remind ourselves that God definitely draws the line for us there. Isaiah 8:19 reminds us, "And when they say to you, 'Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,' should not a people seek their God?" The only power we should ever trust in is God's power.

The Dark Knight (Batman)

This is a solid PG-13 movie and it never ceases to amaze me that people bring kids as young as 6 to these things. While the violent content fits clearly within the context of good vs. evil—the imagery will be disturbing to some Christian viewers. I can’t recommend the film to a younger audience—just as I would not recommend some parts of the Bible for younger children (such as certain parts of Leviticus, Judges, and Song of Solomon). For parents I would suggest taking teens that can have an intelligent discussion of the themes presented in the film—instead of just being wowed by the special effects.