You are here:

Joshua

Name: Joshua
Director: Travis Betz
Released: 2006
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

4.2/10

Fair

2006

Director

Travis Betz

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Joshua operates as a conventional psychological horror film that relies heavily on traditional archetypes. The narrative structure prioritizes individual trauma and genre-standard scares over any meaningful exploration of diverse identities or social hierarchies. The film’s approach to characterization often leans on reductive clichés, particularly regarding female sexuality, reinforcing mainstream cinematic norms rather than challenging them through storytelling that reflects multiple aspects of identity. Ultimately, the lack of diverse casting and the use of mental health as a mere plot device result in a narrow, traditional viewing experience.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Joshua have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film focuses on a heterosexual relationship between Kelby and Amelia. There are no LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities in the story.

How does Joshua portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on a male protagonist's trauma. Female characters like Trish are defined by derogatory stereotypes, while Amelia serves a supportive role.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Joshua?

Limited

The setting suggests a homogeneous social environment. There is no indication of a racially diverse cast or efforts to challenge racial norms.

How does Joshua represent religion and culture?

Limited

Themes of familial dysfunction and a dark past align with standard horror clichés. The film focuses on personal haunting rather than broader social critiques.

Does Joshua include disability representation?

Limited

Mental health issues, such as nightmares and nervous breakdowns, serve as plot devices. These elements lack nuanced portrayals of neurodivergence or character's ability to drive the story.

Present on Screen

Explores psychological themes of familial dysfunction and the weight of a dark past.

Limited or Absent

Avoid using derogatory, reductive clichés to characterize female characters.
Provide more nuanced portrayals of mental health rather than using it as a horror device.
Incorporate a more diverse cast to move beyond homogeneous small-town dynamics.
Integrate LGBTQ+ perspectives to move beyond strictly heterosexual romantic structures.

Official Synopsis

Kelby Unger is a young man from a dysfunctional family that lives with his girlfriend Amelia Gates and has sleeping problems with dreadful nightmares. When he proposes Amelia, he coincidently receives a phone call from the warden of the prison of his hometown telling that his father had just died from heart attack. He decides to return to Bisbee for the funeral and Amelia goes with him. Kelby and Amelia lodge at his mother's house and he meets his slut sister Trish, his former friends James Lilly and the policeman Wally and his unknown uncle Tom. When Wally has a nervous breakdown with the name of Joshua, Kelby is haunted by the evil past in Bisbee.

How are these scores produced? →