Movie review
January 28, 2026 · 125 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Wrecking Crew is a 2026 buddy-cop action-comedy movie on Prime Video. It stars Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista as estranged half-brothers who team up in Hawaii to solve their father's murder. The film features noticeable themes of protecting native land from greedy corporate developers and gentrification. It also includes light, humorous moments where the tough main characters discuss their emotional trauma and toxic masculinity.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Wrecking Crew.
Woke representation / casting
The movie is set in Hawaii and uses a naturally diverse cast to match the setting. Notable cast members like Jason Momoa, Jacob Batalon, Temuera Morrison, and Frankie Adams reflect the local environment. There is no forced diversity or identity signaling, as the characters fit the story's location naturally.
Woke political dialogue
There are no preachy political lectures or activist speeches in this movie. The characters mostly trade R-rated insults and make crude jokes. There are only very brief, lighthearted references to things like working on their emotions or addressing toxic masculinity, but these are played for laughs and do not slow down the action.
Identity-driven story themes
The central plot revolves around a corrupt real estate scheme to steal native Hawaiian land. This is a noticeable theme that focuses on protecting indigenous communities and fighting gentrification. While it is wrapped in an R-rated action-comedy, the struggle for native lands is an important part of the story.
Production
Western institutional / cultural critique
The movie features corrupt politicians and shady developers, which is standard action-movie fare. However, the film lightly deconstructs traditional male toughness by having the hyper-masculine main characters deal with emotional vulnerability, communication issues, and childhood trauma. This adds a slight modern critique of traditional male roles.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There is very little organized anti-woke backlash. Some online discussion warns viewers not to look at the film through a political lens, but the movie has not faced any major controversy, boycott, or widespread cultural complaints.
Creator track record context
The key creative team is a mix of backgrounds. Director Angel Manuel Soto has a history of speaking about indigenous struggles, and producer Lynn Harris advocates for gender diversity. Producer Dave Bautista is a highly active and vocal progressive who champions LGBTQ rights and liberal causes.
