The film maintains a strictly heteronormative structure. It focuses on the male-dominated environment of an 18th-century penal colony without depicting non-cisnormative identities.

Narrative focus remains almost exclusively on male convict camaraderie. Female characters are relegated to peripheral roles that reinforce colonial social structures rather than providing agency.

The cast is predominantly white British, centering on an Anglo-centric convict experience. The film lacks meaningful representation of Indigenous Australians despite the Australian setting.

The film critiques institutionalized authority and the dehumanization of the penal system. However, it frames this through individual survival rather than a systemic deconstruction of Western institutions.

There is no discernible focus on neurodivergence or physical disability. Characters with disabilities are not utilized as central figures with agency or explored through specific lenses.