← Back to Directory
Ride On
Movie

Ride On

2023 • Action, Comedy, Drama

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

Lao Luo, a once popular former stuntman lives only for his horse. This one is unfortunately involved in a litigation. Unable to resign himself to the separation, Lao Luo has no choice but to ask his daughter Xiaobao for help, with whom he has not been in contact for many years .

Overall Series Review

The film centers on Lao Luo, an aging stuntman, who must repair his fractured relationship with his estranged daughter, Xiaobao, to save his beloved horse, Red Hare, from a debt lawsuit. The narrative is a sentimental action drama and a tribute to the classic, physical stunt work of a bygone era, using footage of the star's own iconic stunts. The core of the story is the emotional redemption of the father and the ultimate reconciliation of the family unit, contrasting the traditional, high-risk world of stunts with the cold, corporatized, and CGI-reliant modern film industry.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The movie is a Chinese production featuring ethnically Chinese actors; race is not a factor in the plot. The central conflict is based on character merit, the skills of a stuntman, versus the industry's shift toward corporate interests and technology over physical talent. There is no introduction of intersectional themes or political lecturing on privilege against a 'whiteness' framework.

Oikophobia1/10

The film acts as a love letter to the traditional stunt industry, celebrating the dangerous work, the sacrifices, and the heritage of past stuntmen. The older, traditional way of filmmaking is viewed with reverence, contrasting the valor of the past with the impersonal nature of modern corporate cinema. The narrative reinforces respect for the cultural tradition of the stunt profession.

Feminism3/10

The daughter, Xiaobao, is portrayed as the highly competent and sensible law student who serves as the anchor of responsibility in the family, while the male lead is a flawed, debt-ridden father. The father must seek forgiveness and work toward reconciliation with his daughter, who has the professional capacity to save him. The movie's focus on mending the fractured father-daughter and family bond, rather than celebrating the female lead's professional superiority over the male, counters a purely anti-family message.

LGBTQ+1/10

The plot focuses on the relationship between the father, the daughter, and her lawyer boyfriend, establishing a normative male-female pairing. No presence of sexual ideology, alternative sexualities, or lectures on gender theory are included in the narrative. The story works toward restoring the family structure after the father's past mistakes, not deconstructing it.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film contains no overt religious or anti-religious themes. The dramatic conflict is entirely secular, centered on economic issues, the changing film industry, and interpersonal family conflict. The morality is driven by personal responsibility and the need for familial reconciliation, acknowledging an objective moral law through the father's need for repentance.