You are here:
Hands Up

Hands Up

1918

Passed

Director

James W. Horne, Louis J. Gasnier

Runtime

300 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A newspaperwoman finds trouble aplenty when an Inca tribe believes her to be the reincarnation of their long-lost princess.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

3.0/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film lacks evidence of non-cisnormative identities or same-sex intimacy. It appears to follow the traditional romantic tropes common to the silent era.

Gender Representation

Fair

A female newspaperwoman provides a sense of professional agency and independence. This central role disrupts some passive female tropes found in early adventure cinema.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The inclusion of an Inca tribe serves as a primary narrative driver. However, the premise risks reinforcing colonialist power dynamics through exoticism.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Limited

The story relies on Western adventure tropes using foreign cultures as backdrops. It adheres to traditionalist structures rather than offering nuanced cultural critiques.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the narrative.

Strengths

  • The female protagonist's role as a newspaperwoman suggests professional independence and agency.

Areas for Improvement

  • The reliance on exoticized depictions of the Inca tribe reinforces colonialist power dynamics.
  • The narrative lacks nuanced representation of non-Western cultures, treating them primarily as adventure backdrops.

AI Analysis

Hands Up is a traditional adventure film that offers limited progressive depth. While the female protagonist possesses a degree of professional agency, the film's structure remains rooted in the conventions of its time. The narrative relies heavily on colonial-era tropes, particularly through the use of an Inca tribe as a plot device. This framing often prioritizes Western perspectives over authentic cultural representation. Ultimately, the film functions as a standard genre piece. It provides a departure from purely Anglo-centric settings but fails to challenge the social hierarchies prevalent in 1918 cinema.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.