Is The Great War woke?
The Great War (2019)
Movie
Released: January 1, 2019
Wokeness Score
7/10
Strongly Ideological
Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key Summary Points
- Prominently features racism in segregated WWI units as central drama rather than background.
- Rescue mission framed around saving African American platoon to highlight prejudice and redemption.
- Character arcs and conflicts shaped to deliver message on overcoming racial bias in military.
Wokeness Analysis
The Great War (2019) centers its narrative on a rescue mission during the final days of World War I, but deliberately foregrounds racism within the segregated U.S. Army as a core dramatic conflict. A white captain leads mostly white soldiers to save a lost platoon of African American troops, with internal tensions, arguments, and evolving respect between characters serving as vehicles for commentary on racial prejudice. Reviews note the story draws from the real 92nd Infantry Division (Buffalo Soldiers) but fictionalizes events to emphasize contemporary social issues, including scenes highlighting overt racism among troops and a growing interracial bond that feels engineered to deliver a message about overcoming bigotry. This focus overshadows pure wartime action or historical fidelity, as critics describe the handling of racism as cringe-worthy or shoehorned, with plot points like character confrontations and a letter from Abraham Lincoln reading serving ideological purposes more than entertainment. While the film includes standard war elements like combat and peril, the prominent racial themes are intentional and often feel forced, aligning with progressive messaging on diversity and inclusion in historical contexts. Conservative-leaning audiences may view it as prioritizing social commentary over authentic storytelling, especially given its low-budget execution and timing near the WWI centennial alongside bigger productions like 1917.
Plot
In the closing days of World War I in November 1918, a young white U.S. Army captain is ordered by General John J. Pershing to lead a small unit behind German lines to rescue a trapped regiment of African American soldiers before the armistice takes effect. As the mission unfolds amid combat and danger, the captain and his men confront not only enemy forces but also deep-seated racism from some white soldiers reluctant to risk their lives for Black comrades. The story explores themes of duty, courage, and evolving respect across racial lines in a segregated military.