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  3. The Dark and the Wicked
The Dark and the Wicked
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The Dark and the Wicked

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The Dark and the Wicked

The Dark and the Wicked

movie·NR·Nov 6, 2020·
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The Dark and the Wicked

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Digital video
Amazon — Digital video. Search this format: The Dark and the Wicked. Opens in a new tab
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The Dark and the Wicked

movie
NR
November 6, 2020
Wokeometer Rating
0Based
Audience Woke Score
No Ratings Yet
Scale: 0 = not woke, 10 = maximally woke

TL;DR Verdict

The Dark and the Wicked stays laser-focused on demonic horror and family trauma with zero identity politics or social messaging, earning a clean 0/10 woke score as neutral, story-driven entertainment.

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Detailed Analysis

The Dark and the Wicked is a 2020 Southern Gothic supernatural horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino.

It centers on siblings Louise and Michael returning to their Texas family farm as their father dies from illness; their mother soon suicides amid signs of a demonic entity tormenting the household through nightmares, possessions, and violence including self-harm and animal slaughter. The story draws on classic horror tropes of evil forces, religious doubt via the priest character Father Thorne, family isolation, and psychological dread without any overlay of identity politics, systemic oppression narratives, or critiques of traditional norms.

Its premise stays tightly focused on demonic evil and the trauma of family death, delivering atmospheric tension through straightforward genre craft rather than social messaging. Casting choices align with the rural Texas setting through original characters such as Marin Ireland as Louise, Michael Abbott Jr. as Michael, and Xander Berkeley as Father Thorne, with no established-character race or gender swaps and no DEI-driven mandates. Creator interviews stress personal family experiences with aging parents and the mechanics of building dread instead of activist goals, while audience and critical reception shows zero discourse around progressive themes. This absence of ideological framing keeps the film centered on its horror roots and free of forced contemporary messaging.

Key Factors

  • Traditional horror premise focused on demonic evil and family death with no social justice framing
  • Casting of original characters (Marin Ireland as Louise, Michael Abbott Jr. as Michael, Xander Berkeley as Father Thorne) fits the rural Texas setting with no established-character swaps or DEI mandates
  • Creator interviews emphasize genre craft, personal family experiences with aging parents, and atmospheric tension rather than activist intent; zero reception discourse on progressive messaging

Methodology: Each score synthesizes audience discourse, critic and aggregator reception, and press coverage — weighed against the work itself, not any single source.

Detailed BreakdownPro

Identity Politics & Racial Essentialism
Gender Ideology & LGBTQ+ Themes
DEI Casting & Representation Mandates
Preachiness & Message-First Agenda
Corporate & Creator Activism

See how this title scores across all 5 woke subcategories with detailed explanations.

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Directed by

  • Bryan Bertino

Is The Dark and the Wicked Woke?

We've run a full content analysis on The Dark and the Wicked and scored it 0/10 on the woke scale. Read our detailed breakdown above to see exactly what we found.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of woke content is in The Dark and the Wicked?

Our analysis checks for themes like identity politics, race-swapping, gender ideology, environmental activism, anti-religious messaging, and other progressive agenda elements. The score breakdown above shows which specific categories were flagged and how heavily they factor into The Dark and the Wicked's overall score.

Is The Dark and the Wicked family-friendly?

Wokeometer focuses on ideological content rather than traditional ratings (violence, language, etc.). The Dark and the Wicked is rated NR. For a full picture, combine our woke analysis with the age rating to decide if it's right for your family.

How does Wokeometer score movies?

We evaluate media across multiple ideological categories on a 0–10 scale. Scores of 0–3 mean story-first, 4–6 have moderate elements, and 7–10 flag heavily agenda-driven content. Learn more about our methodology →

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Top Cast

Marin Ireland
4.5Mixed

Marin Ireland

Louise

Michael Abbott Jr.
1.3Based

Michael Abbott Jr.

Michael

Xander Berkeley
0Based

Xander Berkeley

Priest

Lynn Andrews
0Based

Lynn Andrews

Nurse

Julie Oliver-Touchstone
0Based

Julie Oliver-Touchstone

Mother

Tom Nowicki
0.5Based

Tom Nowicki

Charlie

Ella Ballentine
0Based

Ella Ballentine

Young Girl

Michael Zagst
0Based

Michael Zagst

Father

Mel Cowan
0Based

Mel Cowan

Doctor

M
0Based

Mindy Raymond

Becky

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