The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities. It adheres to the conventional social structures typical of early 1970s genre cinema.

The narrative centers on male-dominated archetypes like the adventure novelist and researcher. Agency is positioned within a traditional masculine hierarchy without subverting gender roles.

While set in the Caribbean, the story risks using indigenous tribes-people as plot devices. The Western researcher's experiments on locals lean toward colonialist tropes.

Voodoo themes are presented through a Western expeditionary lens. Local spiritual practices serve primarily as a source of horror rather than a nuanced cultural exploration.

The zombie transformation functions as a biological horror trope rather than a meaningful exploration of disability. Characters lack agency outside of a monstrous context.