The narrative centers on their personal alienation, depression, nihilism, and vague revenge motives documented in video diaries, with no framing around systemic oppression, identity politics, or critiques of traditional norms. The film stays tightly focused on individual teen mental health struggles and personal grievances rather than activist interpretations or collective blame, allowing the story to unfold through the characters' own recordings without external ideological overlays. Casting uses non-professional white actors in roles directly inspired by the real Columbine perpetrators, with supporting family and school roles following the same demographic pattern and no alterations to established characters.

Director Ben Coccio's explicit intent for a realistic, non-polemical portrayal centered on 'what' happened, deliberately avoiding social agendas such as gun control or media blame. This approach results in a straightforward examination of nihilism and revenge that prioritizes factual depiction over messaging, earning praise for its restraint and absence of progressive framing.