The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities. The narrative focuses entirely on the immediate political struggle and survival of warring factions.

The story maintains a male-centric perspective centered on the American journalist. Female characters primarily serve as catalysts for the protagonist or as victims of political violence.

The film excels by prioritizing the experiences of the Salvadoran peasantry. It uses a non-Western majority cast to drive the emotional and political weight of the story.

The narrative offers a profound critique of Western hegemony and capitalist motivations. It portrays state-aligned religious and military institutions as complicit in systemic oppression.

Physical trauma and bodily harm are depicted as consequences of war. However, the film does not explore disability as a specific identity or agency-driven trait.