Miss Bala leans into modern Hollywood trends by centering on a Latina female lead who is thrust into an improbable action hero role. While identity is significant, the film still attempts to balance her journey with relatable struggles and flaws, rather than purely elevating her as flawless. The narrative occasionally feels dictated by current identity expectations, but not egregiously so.

Traditional gender roles and masculinity are pushed aside, as the story focuses entirely on the empowerment angle. However, the film doesn't aggressively ridicule or outright subvert family, religion, or cultural traditions to a heavy-handed degree. There’s a hint of revisionism, but not enough to top the scales.

Alternative perspectives, particularly regarding crime, law enforcement, and border issues, are fairly black-and-white. Dissenting voices or more traditional viewpoints are mostly sidelined or framed through villainous characters, making for a fairly uniform ideological climate.