Totally Killer

Clear diverse casting in big roles, including multi-ethnic 1987 teens and an Asian sheriff. Strongest signal is Amelia and Lauren, a black mother-daughter pair of genius inventors who build the time machine. Lead Jamie is white. Diversity is easy to notice but not the whole movie.

Jamie often reacts to 80s life with modern lines about racism, sexist talk, and consent, including “Unwanted touch!” Reviews say she critiques “problematic” 80s culture and tries to teach feminism and body rules. These jokes repeat enough that most viewers hear them.

Core story is stopping a killer and bonding with her teen mom. Still, Gen Z values are treated as the smarter moral view of the past. Girl-power final-girl energy is strong. Ending notes a brother with a husband, so LGBTQ life is shown as normal in a happy future. Noticeable, not total focus.

The film frames 1980s social habits—racist mascots, sexism, casual rudeness, heavy smoking—as outdated and wrong through Jamie’s eyes. That is modern culture judgment more than a deep attack on today’s governments, churches, or capitalism. Male cops dismiss her; bullying and mean-girl power also look bad.

Some social posts and Letterboxd notes call the Gen Z attitude woke, preachy, or too sure of itself. No big news backlash or wide campaign. Complaints exist but stay light and scattered.

Mix of mild progressive comedy history (Khan) and stronger diversity/women advocacy from writer Jen D’Angelo, with many producers and other writers near zero. Fits a modern studio comedy-horror team more than a pure activist project.