Movie review
January 31, 2020 · 109 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The movie pushes a female lead assassin revenge story with director and star framing it as a woman's emotional journey told through the female gaze. Blake Lively's character transforms from victim to killer while creators repeatedly highlight her femininity, emotionality, and how women get undervalued. The narrative engine stays on personal vengeance and espionage with no overt sermons, but the empowerment angle stays visible throughout. No race swaps, no queer elements, no modern identity politics lectures.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Rhythm Section.
Woke representation / casting
Female lead assassin role with director and star pushing female gaze and empowerment framing in marketing and interviews.
Woke political dialogue
No evidence of explicit activist or ideological speeches in the film.
Identity-driven story themes
Woman's personal vengeance and training arc framed as emotional feminine empowerment journey by creators.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Standard terrorism revenge plot; no modern activist attacks on patriarchy, whiteness, or Western institutions.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No notable backlash claiming the title pushes forced identity politics.
Creator track record context
Director Reed Morano's history with *The Handmaid's Tale* plus her explicit female-gaze framing for this project.
Production
