Snowpiercer hovers on the edge of sacrificing narrative for its themes. While characters do hold some depth, the story leans heavily on metaphors of class struggle and social justice, sometimes at the expense of organic character development. However, casting choices largely suit the narrative and world-building rather than coming across as overtly identity-motivated.

The film presents traditional structures, family, authority, and hierarchy, as oppressive or irrelevant. Masculinity is often depicted through flawed or troubled men, and conventional morality is questioned throughout. Religious elements are mostly portrayed as cultish, lending to a somewhat negative spin on cultural traditions.

Alternative worldviews are mostly presented as villainous or naïve, with dissenters caricatured as complicit or blind. The film is laser-focused on its anti-capitalist ideology, leaving little room for sincere ideological diversity or debate, though some gray area exists in character motivations.