Year One Review

Messages: Much of the movie mocks prehistoric/Old Testament-era attitudes about everything from worship to gender relations ("give her a little tap on the head -- women really respond to that"). It's clearly satirical, but it can be difficult to separate the satire from the depiction of questionable acts. There's also lots of potty humor (including one character eating feces and another peeing on his own face), extensive discussion of sex, violence, and some strong racial and gay stereotyping. It's all meant in fun, but it's regrettably not that funny.

Role models: Although the two main characters generally mean well, they're not really meant to be seen as role models -- Zed acts rashly and doesn't consider the consequences of his behavior, while Oh is a little too passive and often gets caught up in situations against his will. Women are frequently objectified, and characters are routinely portrayed in stereotypical fashion.

Violence: Scuffling, mostly for comedic purposes. Cain repeatedly beats his brother Abel with a stone, a man is speared in the shoulder, virgins are hurled into a sacrificial flame (a high priest doused with oil also wanders a little too close...), characters are stoned in public, a woman is punched in the face, characters are attacked by a cougar and a snake, a soothsayer reads bloody entrails, characters are whipped, and prisoners are hung upside down.

Sex: Extensive discussion of sex, sexual acts, and techniques; many jokes about "sodomy," as much of the plot takes place in the ancient city of Sodom. References to "laying with"; at one point it's implied that a character has "lain with" their mother. One character explains that she's "into girls," plus other references to homosexual acts (including between priests and boys). Also references to coerced sex, orgies, enuchs, and virginity (and its absence). Kissing, scantily clad women and men. Discussion of castration, circumcision, and more.

Language: Pretty frequent strong language, including "suck," "a--hole," "ass," "f--ked the pooch," "s--t," "crap," "hell," "dick," "poop," "bastards," 'bulls--t," and more. Discussions of "sodomy."

Consumerism: Not an issue

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink wine and liquor and smoke pipes. References to "killer hemp."