The film focuses strictly on wartime espionage and nationalist struggles. There is no discernible presence of non-cisnormative identities or narratives exploring sexual or gender identity.

The narrative is heavily centered on male-driven conflict and brotherhood. While women are integrated into the espionage framework, they largely occupy secondary roles supporting the central male-centric plot.

The film excels by centering Chinese identity and agency against foreign occupation. It disrupts Western-centric spy tropes by prioritizing a non-Western perspective on sovereignty and survival.

The story engages deeply with post-colonial themes and the struggle for national identity. It portrays the stratified socioeconomic layers of Shanghai to critique colonial influence and systemic oppression.

The film depicts physical and psychological trauma inherent in espionage. However, no characters with visible or invisible disabilities are afforded central agency or specialized narrative arcs.