Movie review
April 7, 2016 · 113 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Criminal is a 2016 action sci-fi thriller. A CIA agent dies during a mission involving a hacker who can launch missiles. Doctors transfer the agent's memories into a violent convict so he can finish the job and stop a global threat. The story centers on the convict dealing with the new memories while racing to prevent disaster and protect the agent's family. No identity-driven themes, activist messaging, or social justice elements stand out in the plot or characters.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Criminal.
Woke representation / casting
Gal Gadot appears in a supporting role as the CIA agent's widow and mother; the ensemble uses typical 2016 action casting centered on white male leads with no visible identity signaling, quotas, or mismatched prominent roles.
Woke political dialogue
Dialogue covers mission details, memory conflicts, escapes, and confrontations with the villain; it has no activist speeches, social justice language, or political lectures.
Identity-driven story themes
The plot follows sci-fi memory transfer, the convict's personal redemption through family bonds and new memories, and stopping a terrorist hacker plot; no elements tied to race, gender, sexuality, or identity politics.
Western institutional / cultural critique
CIA and government figures work to stop an anarchist villain causing global harm; the story does not critique Western institutions, patriarchy, capitalism, or traditional norms in any activist style.
Woke character or canon changes
Original screenplay with no changes to established characters, canon, or historical figures for ideological or identity reasons.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No anti-woke or right-leaning complaints treat the film as promoting woke, DEI, or identity politics; coverage stayed on its action-thriller qualities.
Creator track record context
Key creatives have careers in commercial action, crime, and thriller films with no documented pattern of identity-driven, DEI, or activist creative work across their output.
Production
