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The Penultimate

Name: The Penultimate
Director: Luc Besson
Released: 1981
Duration: 12 min

Representation Score

2.1/10

Limited

1981

Director

Luc Besson

Runtime

12 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Penultimate is a minimalist dystopian film focused on a lone protagonist navigating a landscape of pervasive violence. Its strength lies in its critique of societal collapse, using a ruined city to question the stability of modern civilization and Western institutions. However, the film lacks meaningful representation across most identity categories. The focus remains heavily male-centric, and there is a complete absence of LGBTQ+ or disability-related character arcs. While the European cast provides some ethnic variety, the film does not provide enough detail to determine if it challenges broader casting norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Penultimate have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with LGBTQ+ identities or those who do not identify as cisgender. It does not address the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does The Penultimate portray gender?

Limited

The story centers around a single male character facing a dangerous environment, reflecting a traditional, male-dominated survival scenario typical of early 80s action films.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Penultimate?

Fair

The cast features actors like Pierre Jolivet, Jean Reno, and Fabrice Roche, indicating a predominantly European lineup. However, it is unclear if the film challenges the norm of homogeneous casting practices.

How does The Penultimate represent religion and culture?

Good

The dystopian world critiques the stability of Western institutions and modern society. The narrative highlights societal collapse to illustrate the chaos caused by these systems.

Does The Penultimate include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any characters with visible or invisible disabilities. There is no mention of neurodivergence or physical impairments.

Present on Screen

The dystopian setting effectively critiques systemic failures and the stability of modern civilization.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks significant roles for female characters and diverse gender expressions.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities or characters.
The film lacks characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A man wanders through a wrecked, dystopian city, finding violence everywhere he turns.

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