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Endangered Species

Name: Endangered Species
Director: MJ Bassett
Released: 2021
Duration: 101 min

Representation Score

2.1/10

Limited

2021

Director

MJ Bassett

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Endangered Species is a gripping survival thriller that prioritizes the immediate threat of nature over the exploration of identity. The story structure relies on conventional clichés, focusing on a family's struggle against predators in Kenya. While the setting supports a diverse cast, the film maintains a traditional viewpoint. It does not aim to challenge social hierarchies or deconstruct the colonial perspective, adhering to a standard survivalist narrative. Overall, the film delivers a conventional cinematic experience. It lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and uses physical trauma mainly as plot devices rather than delving into the complexities of disability.

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Category Breakdown

Does Endangered Species have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a nuclear family and a group of travelers. There is no indication of non-straight or non-cisgender identities or same-sex relationships.

How does Endangered Species portray gender?

Fair

Women face severe physical danger within a traditional survival scenario. The group shares ability to act, but it often aligns with conventional gender roles within the family.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Endangered Species?

Fair

Set in Kenya, the film showcases a naturally diverse cast. However, the storyline follows a typical tourist path in a foreign country.

How does Endangered Species represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative emphasizes biological survival over societal critique. It upholds traditional survivalist ethics without challenging Western institutions or cultural relativism.

Does Endangered Species include disability representation?

Minimal

Characters endure significant physical harm from wildlife attacks. These injuries function primarily as plot devices rather than explorations of lived disability or neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

The Kenyan setting provides a realistic backdrop for a diverse cast.
ability to act is shared among the group during survival scenarios.

Limited or Absent

The film adheres to traditional structures and lacks LGBTQ+ representation.
The narrative follows a typical tourist path that may reinforce Western perspectives.
Physical trauma is used as a plot device rather than exploring lived disability.

Official Synopsis

Jack Halsey takes his wife, their adult kids, and a friend for a dream vacation in Kenya. But as they venture off alone into a wilderness park, their safari van is flipped over by an angry rhino, leaving them injured and desperate. Then, as two of them go in search of rescue, a bloody, vicious encounter with a leopard and a clan of hyenas incites a desperate fight for survival.

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