The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) | How Woke Is It?

Our VerdictNot Woke

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters2007

In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected speech. These reviews reflect personal opinions and not statements of fact.

What We Think

The King of Kong is about as non-woke as it gets. Its focus is old-school competition, with no agenda-driven narrative or heavy identity themes. A refreshing relic from pre-woke Hollywood.

Score Breakdown

Compromised:Narrative Integrity

Not Woke

What is this?

This 2007 documentary about competitive arcade gaming is almost stunningly non-woke by today’s standards. The film focuses on a classic underdog story, with individuals' personalities and skills taking center stage, not identity factors. Representation is driven by who happened to be around arcade cabinets in the 1980s, not a social agenda.

Compromised:Cultural Foundations

Not Woke

What is this?

The film showcases quirky, obsessive gamers but doesn't attack or undermine traditional culture, family, or morality. It portrays its mostly male cast in a neutral or even sympathetic light, never once subverting gender roles or rewriting history to fit modern values.

Compromised:Ideological Monoculture

Not Woke

What is this?

There's no discernible ideological preachiness. The drama comes from personal rivalries, not manufactured political conflict. Alternative viewpoints don't enter because this is simply about who can score highest in Donkey Kong. If there's a takeaway, it's that eccentric nerds are fascinating, not that society needs to be re-engineered.

User Reviews

No user reviews received yet.

Please leave a review and let the world know what you think.
Your review will be kept completely anonymous.

Your Review

Comments

Users Also Viewed

Movie poster for The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision

Movie poster for A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'

Disclaimer: In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected as a form of free speech and freedom of expression. The reviews and commentary on this site represent personal opinions and interpretations. They are not statements of fact and should not be taken as factual claims about any individual, company, or creative work.