Christian Parents Review: Turning Red (with clips for reference)
One of the most important jobs we have as parents involves shaping the worldview of our children...much of this is done in the context of the things that your children watch, read, music, entertainment, social influences... Remember, nothing is neutral!
Both the Apostle Paul and John tell us to "try the spirits whether they are of God." This is a process of discernment, testing to see if what is being communicated lines up with Scripture.
In this movie we found five major areas of concern where there are clear worldview concerns for our family.
1. Infatuation with boys
-Mei is 13...and boy crazy...an all consuming infatuation with boys. There are boys at school, boys at the convenience store, boys in commercials, and the major crush...the boy band 4Town
-She even is found hiding under her bed using her imagination to draw pictures of half-naked boys.
*This worldview develops an unhealthy pattern of how to relate to young men, sets up unrealistic expectations, and develops a disposable philosophy on relationships.
2. Unhealthy relationship with her parents
From the very beginning of the movie the main character is burdened with overbearing and demanding parents...with their own unrealistic expectations about their daughter. The mother that is overreactive, out of touch (embarassing her daughter), filled with anger (releases her own inner panda at the end of the movie..the daughter ends up saving her)
The father is passive, indecisive, weak...
*There is total disunity in the home...parents disagree on almost every major issue...and of course the "right" course of action is what the strong decisive mother chooses
3. Parents are the source of the tension
Mei is told she can't go to see the band. The entire middle portion of the movie is about the plan to go behind her parents back and go to the concert anyway. The tension isn't created because of her desire to disobey...it's in her parents unwillingness to give in to what she wants
*Secondary tension...the panda within is something her mom warns her about but she chooses to embrace anyway. At the end of movie she embraces her inner panda and walks out of the temple with a red panda tail coming out from her skirt...she was right for what she did and her actions are justified by the outcome.
4. Anger as a legitimate expression of inner tension
Initially the panda comes up with any type of extreme emotion, anger, sadness, cuteness... Later, the panda is something she can control and bring out whenever she wants. However, in the end of the movie, the panda is an expression of her and her mother's anger.
Her mom turns into a giant 100 foot tall red panda with red eyes, like Godzilla. An epic battle between Mei and her mother, both as Red Pandas...of course Mei wins with her friends cheering her on
5. The most dangerous theme is that of self-acceptance when it clashes with parental expectations...this is not a covert theme...it is laid out in the open throughout the whole movie.
"My Panda, My Choice" is a play on "my body, my choice" the rally cry for pro-abortion crowd. While the context of the statement is regarding her autonomy, it is borrowed from abortion proponents.
"We all have an inner beast, a messy and weird part of ourselves that’s hidden away. Many people never let it out. I did . How about you?"
Translated: What is the messy inner beast that you feel a little weird about, that your parents don't accept you for? ...I fought to let it out and embrace it...you should too!
If you let the entertainment of the world fill the mind of your kids, don't be surprised when they turn out believing the same things the world believes. Entertainment is not neutral.
