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Contract to Kill

Name: Contract to Kill
Director: Keoni Waxman
Released: 2016
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

2016

Director

Keoni Waxman

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Contract to Kill is a conventional action thriller that adheres closely to genre standards. It relies on well-established cinematic structures rather than challenging them. The film offers a diverse cast and international settings, but these elements do not delve deeply into identity exploration. Instead, the narrative upholds traditional power hierarchies and Western institutional authority. Overall, the film remains traditional, maintaining standard gender roles and emphasizing the mission of state-sanctioned agencies.

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Category Breakdown

Does Contract to Kill have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. It follows a traditional storyline focused on straight relationships.

How does Contract to Kill portray gender?

Limited

The film includes a female FBI agent named Zara, but the main physical actions and power dynamics remain centered on male characters.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Contract to Kill?

Fair

Wesley Snipes plays a central character of color in a genre often dominated by white actors. The film uses international settings like Istanbul and Mexico, providing a multicultural backdrop but primarily serving as a tactical stage for the plot.

How does Contract to Kill represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story emphasizes Western institutions such as the CIA and DEA, portraying them as the primary stabilizers against external threats. It reinforces Western law enforcement as the main force for stability.

Does Contract to Kill include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any characters with visible or invisible disabilities. Disability is not used as a theme or character arc.

Present on Screen

The casting of Wesley Snipes provides a central character of color, offering more racial diversity than many standard action films.
The use of international locales like Istanbul and Mexico provides a multicultural backdrop for the adventure.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities.
Gender roles remain conventional, with leadership and combat ability to act primarily centered around male characters.
The narrative reinforces Western institutional authority without engaging in deeper cultural or post-colonial critiques.
There is no representation of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Harmon is a CIA/DEA enforcer investigating Arab terrorists captured in Mexico. With his team--seductive FBI agent Zara and spy-drone pilot Sharp--he flies to Istanbul and uncovers a brutal plot: Islamic extremists plan to use Sonora drug-smuggling routes to bring deadly weapons, and leaders, into the U.S. To prevent an attack on America, Harmon must turn these two savage forces against one another before his time--and his luck--run out.

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