"Wrong Turn" (2021) has clearly updated the formula to spotlight a diverse cast, with identity markers more emphasized than in previous entries. Some viewers might feel that characterization sometimes leans into modern ideological talking points over organic development, but it avoids completely derailing its horror narrative in favor of message.

The film subverts traditional concepts of family and community, presenting American backwoods society as regressive and violent, while the urban outsiders are framed as morally in the right. Masculine traits are often painted as threatening rather than heroic, which may frustrate those looking for a more balanced portrayal.

There’s little sincere room for traditional viewpoints; those who resist the protagonists' values are extreme villains, without credible counterpoints. Alternative moral perspectives are presented as dangerous or backward, not robustly defended or discussed.