The film contains no LGBTQ+ characters or explorations of non-heteronormative identities. The narrative focuses exclusively on the survivalist dynamics of the refugee crisis.

Women are portrayed with significant agency through their experiences of hardship and psychological trauma. The film highlights their resilience within a collapsing social framework rather than treating them as passive victims.

The film centers on East Asian identities and the specific plight of Vietnamese refugees. It avoids a Western-centric gaze by prioritizing the perspectives of those marginalized by regional conflicts.

The narrative offers a sophisticated critique of institutional failure and global power dynamics. It portrays a world where traditional ethics are stripped away by the necessity of survival.

Physical and psychological scars from poverty and trauma are depicted as consequences of systemic violence. The film avoids tropes, focusing instead on how exhaustion impacts human agency.