Movie review
January 25, 2019 · 118 min · NC-17
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Polar.
Woke representation / casting
Standard international-action casting with mixed-gender young assassins and incidental ethnic variety that fits the story world; no reported race/gender swaps, forced diversity emphasis, or marketing around representation.
Woke political dialogue
No activist speeches or ideological lectures; conflict is limited to corporate greed over pension costs in a criminal organization.
Identity-driven story themes
Core story is age-based betrayal and personal revenge in the assassin trade; no gender, race, sexuality, or identity-politics arcs drive the narrative.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Mild portrayal of a ruthless company eliminating retirees for profit; standard thriller device without modern activist framing of patriarchy, systemic racism, capitalism, or cultural institutions.
Review
Polar is a 2019 Netflix action thriller directed by Jonas Åkerlund and based on a graphic novel by Víctor Santos. It follows aging assassin Duncan Vizla, known as the Black Kaiser, who must fight back when his employer sends a squad of younger killers to eliminate him before he collects a large pension. The story centers on corporate betrayal, revenge, and brutal violence with no audience-visible identity-driven themes, social justice messaging, or representation-focused plotlines.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No documented anti-woke or right-leaning complaints accusing the film of pushing identity politics, DEI, or left-wing messaging; all criticism targeted violence and style.
Creator track record context
Key personnel are genre and pulp creators with minimal or no history of identity-driven, activist, or social-justice-focused projects.
Production
