New Showbiz

You are here:
Temple

Temple

2017

TV-MA

Director

Michael Barrett

Runtime

78 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Three American tourists follow a mysterious map deep into the jungles of Japan searching for an ancient temple. When spirits entrap them, their adventure quickly becomes a horrific nightmare.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

3.2/10

Limited

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film focuses on a traditional ensemble of American tourists. There is no evidence of queer-coded character arcs or non-cisnormative identities.

Gender Representation

Fair

The narrative relies on adventure-driven plots and traditional gender roles. It lacks evidence of subverting masculine leadership or elevating female intellect.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The story uses a Western-centric perspective in a Japanese setting. This framing risks treating the foreign location as a site of 'otherness' rather than providing ethnic agency.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Limited

Foreign spiritualism is framed as a threat to the protagonists. This prioritizes a Western lens of discovery over a respectful engagement with Japanese religious nuances.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the film.

Strengths

  • The film utilizes a non-Western backdrop in Japan to provide a unique atmospheric setting for the horror genre.

Areas for Improvement

  • The narrative could move away from colonialist tropes that frame foreign cultures as sources of 'otherness' or peril.
  • There is a need for more nuanced engagement with Japanese cultural and religious nuances rather than treating them as mere obstacles.
  • The film would benefit from subverting traditional gender roles and incorporating more diverse identities, including LGBTQ+ and disabled characters.

AI Analysis

Temple operates as a conventional survival horror piece that prioritizes Western protagonist agency. The narrative architecture relies heavily on established genre tropes, which limits the opportunity for intersectional complexity or the disruption of social hierarchies. The film's perspective is primarily expeditionary, viewing the Japanese setting through a lens of discovery and peril. This approach often frames local mysticism as an obstacle to be overcome rather than a culture to be understood. Ultimately, the production follows a standard genre-driven framework. It lacks a history of intentional systemic subversion or progressive storytelling patterns, resulting in a narrow, heteronormative experience.

How are these scores produced? →

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.