New Showbiz

You are here:
Totem

Totem

2017

Not Rated

Director

Marcel Sarmiento

Runtime

89 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A teen must resort to extreme measures to protect her family from a supernatural entity.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.6/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film lacks explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ identities. The narrative focuses on a familial unit and a new romantic interest entering the household, maintaining conventional domestic dynamics.

Gender Representation

Fair

Female agency drives the story as Kellie navigates supernatural threats. The film shifts power away from traditional patriarchal stability by placing emotional and supernatural burdens on the female characters.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

Casting includes Kerris Dorsey and Jocelyn Ayanna, offering a more diverse ensemble than typical horror. The film moves away from a strictly homogeneous depiction of the nuclear family.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The story explores the disruption of the traditional family unit through a new step-parent figure. It maintains a standard domestic setting without engaging in overtly secularist or anti-capitalist themes.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There are no visible or mentioned depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Strengths

  • Strong female agency through the protagonist's navigation of supernatural phenomena.
  • Diverse casting that moves beyond the homogeneous nuclear family tropes of horror.
  • Exploration of shifting family dynamics and non-traditional household structures.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-heteronormative relationship dynamics.
  • Absence of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
  • Limited engagement with broader cultural or systemic themes beyond the domestic sphere.

AI Analysis

Totem succeeds in diversifying the horror genre by centering female agency and a multi-faceted family dynamic. The protagonist, Kellie, carries the weight of the supernatural conflict, which disrupts traditional gender hierarchies. While the casting provides meaningful racial representation through leads like Kerris Dorsey, the film remains within the bounds of conventional domestic drama. It avoids many standard tropes by focusing on non-traditional family structures. However, the film lacks engagement with LGBTQ+ identities or disability representation. It functions primarily as a character-driven supernatural thriller that prioritizes domestic shifts over broader systemic deconstruction.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Movie poster for Hellions

Hellions

2015

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 3.5 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.