Kids call it action. But the Roman Catholic Church calls it violence. And if the Church would have its way, it won’t let the "Powerpuff Girls" save the world before bedtime in the Philippines. A movie review board of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) found yesterday "The Powerpuff Girls Movie" as "disturbing," saying most of its scenes have too much violence.
Now showing in a theater near you, "The Powerpuff Girls Movie" is an 87-minute film version of the world-popular cartoon series showing on Cartoon Network cable channel.
On the board’s ratings scale of one to five, with five being "excellent" and three being "acceptable," the movie was only one rung above "abhorrent," the worst rating.
Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup may be made of sugar, spice and everything nice – plus one bottle of Chemical X – the CBCP’s Catholic Initiative for Enlightened Movie Appreciation (Cinema) said the movie was nothing but a "saturation of violent acts carried out with a fierce vengeance."
Unlike the government censor agency Movie Television Radio Classification Board (MTRCB), which may cut out offending or lewd scenes prohibited by the Philippines’ obscenity laws or ban films outright, the Church panel only critiques movies based on religious standards.
"Throughout most of the scenes, there is a threatening feel coming through that could make the young audience feel anxiety," Cinema said in a statement. "The super-powered three go through their motions – at play or at work – with such big eyes shooting destructive lasers and at such frenzied speed, damaging anything in their way, that make them seem scary at times, especially in a darkened movie house."
While the Powerpuff Girls may be cute and sweet and are on the side of good, Cinema said their employment of violence, however, may do more harm than good on very young and impressionable minds.
"Could right and wrong or good and bad be affected by regular and continued viewing of movies and television containing such scenes," the panel said.
With that, Cinema gave young viewers an advise – now often seen on television, even on news programs – that they see "with parental guidance."