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Bad Blood

Name: Bad Blood
Director: Mike Newell
Released: 1982
Duration: 105 min

Representation Score

4.6/10

Fair

1982

Director

Mike Newell

Runtime

105 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Bad Blood is a traditional period thriller that emphasizes plot-driven conflict over challenging social hierarchies. While it includes Māori trackers to avoid being purely Anglo-centric, the story remains rooted in a colonial-era context. The film adheres to mid-20th-century storytelling clichés, especially concerning gender and sexuality. It offers minimal engagement with LGBTQ+ identities or the subversion of patriarchal structures, focusing instead on individual pathology and the pursuit of justice. Overall, the representation of underrepresented groups serves the plot rather than exploring their multi-layered identities or systemic issues.

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Category Breakdown

Does Bad Blood have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any stories involving LGBTQ+ individuals or challenge traditional heterosexual relationships. The interpersonal dynamics focus on conventional romance and social structures.

How does Bad Blood portray gender?

Fair

Gender roles are shaped by the era's societal norms. Female characters often respond to the main conflict rather than actively driving the narrative.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Bad Blood?

Fair

The inclusion of Māori trackers adds ethnic diversity. However, their role is primarily functional to the plot's investigative elements.

How does Bad Blood represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story follows a conventional moral framework centered around law enforcement. It does not critique Western institutions or explore moral relativism.

Does Bad Blood include disability representation?

Minimal

Characters with disabilities are not given significant roles. The film does not use disability as a key theme or explore its impact on the story.

Present on Screen

The inclusion of Māori trackers diversifies the pursuit of the antagonist.
The film incorporates indigenous expertise into the investigative process in New Zealand.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives that challenge traditional heterosexual relationships.
Female characters lack significant influence, often reacting to the main conflict.
There is no significant portrayal or narrative focus on disability.
The story does not critique Western institutions or explore complex cultural relativism.

Official Synopsis

During World War 2, a farmer in New Zealand murders seven people. The police, along with local Maori trackers, hunt him in the bush country.

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