Director Neasa Hardiman emphasized casting diversity and inclusivity for an 'all hands on deck' approach but explicitly stated that gender is not a storytelling factor and that characters are individuals with backstories rather than defined by identity. The mixed-gender crew and ethnic diversity, such as the character Omid played by Ardalan Esmaili, appear organic to a modern fishing vessel setting without clashing with lore or driving subplots. The plot centers on a fishing trawler crew fighting a parasitic infection after entering an exclusion zone, with themes of survival, grief, quarantine, and human panic during crisis—none of which center identity politics, systemic oppression, or critiques of traditional norms.

There is no overt social justice dialogue or lecture moments, and the premise is not reliant on progressive framing. Reception focuses on pandemic parallels and creature horror rather than ideological messaging or backlash.