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Jojo Rabbit
Movie

Jojo Rabbit

2019 • Comedy, Drama, War

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

A World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy named Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

Overall Series Review

Jojo Rabbit is a World War II satire that uses black comedy to directly critique the totalitarian, genocidal, and hyper-nationalist ideology of Nazism. The narrative's core is the redemption of a young boy, Jojo, who is heavily indoctrinated, as he learns to reject hate through human relationship and empathy. The film strongly champions universal moral values like love, compassion, and individuality, placing them in direct opposition to the race-based cruelty and ideological conformity of the regime. The protagonist's journey is one of moving away from collective, state-mandated identity and toward judging a person (the Jewish girl, Elsa) on the content of her character. The heroic figure is Jojo's mother, Rosie, a protective, loving parent and active anti-Nazi resistor whose unconditional love and ultimate sacrifice serve as the moral compass for the film. The movie is a clear anti-hate message that finds its moral clarity in the defense of human life and freedom, not in the vilification of generalized Western culture or traditional structures. The satire explicitly mocks and deconstructs the absurdity, stupidity, and toxic hyper-masculinity of the Nazi party from the imaginary friend Adolf Hitler down to the bumbling youth leaders.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The film's plot is fundamentally a critique of the most extreme form of identity politics—Nazi race-based hierarchy and antisemitism. The story moves Jojo from an ideological worldview, which judges people solely on immutable characteristics, toward one of universal empathy, judging Elsa by the content of her soul and not the racist tropes he was taught. The ultimate vilification is directed at the white supremacist, authoritarian Nazi regime, not 'whiteness' or generalized modern privilege.

Oikophobia1/10

The film explicitly critiques the totalitarian, murderous ideology of Nazism, not Western civilization, the German nation, or its ancestors broadly. The mother is a freedom fighter who says she loves her country but hates the war, directly opposing the idea that the 'Western home culture' is fundamentally corrupt. Core values of liberty and conscience are shown to be worth defending against state chaos, aligning with the 1/10 standard.

Feminism2/10

The main female characters are portrayed positively. Rosie, the mother, is the moral hero of the film; her protective, self-sacrificing, and loving motherhood is the primary force that saves her son's soul. Motherhood is celebrated, not presented as a prison. The young Jewish girl, Elsa, is strong-willed but her character arc is centered on survival and her humanity, not a 'Girl Boss' trope, subverting the Nazi's rigid gender-roles for girls.

LGBTQ+2/10

Sexual and gender ideology is not a central theme of the narrative. A supporting character, Captain Klenzendorf, is subversively characterized in ways that defy the Nazi ideal of hyper-masculinity, which some interpret as a subtle critique of the regime's oppressive views on identity. This element is minor and serves as part of the anti-totalitarian message, keeping the score low but not a perfect 1.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film does not target traditional religion, particularly Christianity. Its antagonist is the political, ideological, and pseudo-religious fanaticism of the Nazi state. The resolution promotes an objective, transcendent moral law—that love, kindness, and human life are objectively good, while hate, genocide, and oppression are objectively evil—which is the antithesis of moral relativism.