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The Storm
Movie

The Storm

2024 • Animation, Adventure, Family

Woke Score
1.4
out of 10

Plot

The ancient ship rises from the depths. Mantou trespasses aboard and finds lost souls. After rain, will he be reborn and destiny change?

Overall Series Review

The Storm (2024) is a Chinese animated fantasy-adventure focused on the profound bond between an adoptive father, Daguzi, and his son, Mantou. The narrative centers on Daguzi’s desperate efforts to escape poverty and give his son a better life, which leads them to a cursed ship and results in Daguzi's slow, monstrous transformation. The movie is a story of sacrifice and determination as the young Mantou fights to save the man who became his father. The conflict is driven by personal desperation, familial love, and a clash with supernatural forces tied to local legends, not by broader societal or political commentary. The plot is self-contained within its mythological and socioeconomic setting, showing a focus on universal themes of love and fate. The overall creative direction sidesteps the common tropes of Western-centric social critique entirely.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

Characters are judged by their actions and their love for one another; the narrative is focused on a father's sacrifice and a son's devotion in the face of poverty and a monster's curse. The setting is a Chinese fantasy world, so concepts like 'vilification of whiteness' or 'forced insertion of diversity' are completely absent. The core conflict is existential and spiritual, reinforcing universal human connections over an intersectional hierarchy.

Oikophobia2/10

The film draws heavily on Chinese folklore, including references to the Monkey King and local legends of the Great Dragon Bay. The culture and heritage provide the foundation for the entire adventure and its mythology. The setting and story elements demonstrate a clear respect for the spiritual and legendary traditions of its home culture, not a hostility or desire to deconstruct them.

Feminism1/10

The central, emotionally resonant relationship is between two male characters, Daguzi and his adoptive son, Mantou. Daguzi's protective nature and sacrifice for his son are the driving force of the plot. The story celebrates the protective role of the masculine figure in the context of a family bond, which is the antithesis of the emasculation or 'Girl Boss' trope. Motherhood or female career-ism is not a theme.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative is entirely focused on the familial crisis of a father being transformed into a monster and his son's quest to save him. The sexual or gender identity of the characters is irrelevant to the plot and is not centered or lectured upon. The traditional male-female pairing or nuclear family is not deconstructed; rather, a functional, non-biological father-son unit is celebrated as the core of the story.

Anti-Theism2/10

The conflict is infused with elements of the spiritual and fate-driven, revolving around 'lost souls' and a 'curse' tied to a mysterious ship, indicating a belief in a higher, supernatural structure. The film is based in Chinese spiritual and mythological tradition, so there are no hostile critiques directed at Christianity or traditional Western religion. Morality is clearly defined by the selfless actions of a father and son, pointing toward an objective truth in the power of familial love.