The film frequently places modern feminist perspectives and snarky anachronisms front and center, often at the expense of believable medieval characterization. Birdy's personality sometimes feels more suited to a 21st-century teen than a young woman in the Middle Ages, making her struggles and victories feel less earned within the story's context. Forced representation and idealization of the protagonist over historical realism are apparent throughout.

Traditional gender roles, family structures, and religious expectations are repeatedly mocked or subverted. The movie paints arranged marriages and parental authority as wholly backward, with little nuance, turning the story into a critique of the entire period's values. Masculinity and tradition are generally portrayed as oppressive, while modern individualism is valorized.

Dissenting voices or characters with traditional views are portrayed as obstacles, punchlines, or outright villains. The film leaves little space for sincere, positive representation of alternative worldviews. There’s a strong sense that only one perspective, modern progressive values, deserves the audience’s sympathy or support.