After nearly a year of being without a Netflix subscription, I decided to renew it out of sheer boredom. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to discover that “John Wick: Chapter 4” was not yet available for streaming. In search of something to occupy my time, I turned to Netflix’s new offerings and opted for “The School for Good and Evil,” a film currently trending in the Philippines.

To my dismay, I found it difficult to finish this fantasy movie, which is based on Soman Chainani’s children’s book of the same name. I attribute this struggle partly to what I perceive as forced political correctness and woke messaging within the film. However, it’s worth noting that the story itself revolves around children and child love, which also contributed to my lack of interest.

Curiosity led me to research the ages of the main characters, Sophie and Agatha, since the movie fails to provide clear information. To my surprise, I discovered that they are both 15 years old. Yes, they are minors! This revelation brings me to the main reason for my criticism of both the film and the book.

It’s disconcerting to see the implicit or perhaps explicit pedophilic context in both the movie and its source material. I couldn’t help but notice the romantic subplot between the villain, Rafal, an adult character, and Sophie, a minor. This, coupled with scenes involving blood magic, child attraction, and child love, evoke unsettling parallels with the concept of minor-attracted people (MAP), a term popularized by certain Western liberal circles.

Fortunately, I am not alone in recognizing these issues. Many netizens have expressed their discomfort with the latent pedophilia depicted in the film.

One Reddit user (u/greyjediwriter) shared their concerns, stating, “I found this trilogy to be good, but I find it NOT for the elementary/middle school aged audience they aimed for. It had one thing that made me concerned that I have never seen in a MG novel before: The objectification and sexualization of a child.”

The Redditor further highlights the discomfort arising from the author’s voice seemingly endorsing such objectification and sexualization, equating it to the behavior of someone suspected of pedophilia. He argues that the book indirectly alludes to the idea that a child can wear revealing clothing to attract others, potentially leading to dangerous situations involving child predators.

This sentiment extends beyond the book to the film adaptation itself. Viewers of the movie have also noticed scenes and elements suggestive of child exploitation and pedophilia, including sexualized dance scenes involving children, objectified fashion choices, and the promotion of romantic love between young characters.

Numerous Redditors have echoed these concerns, acknowledging the inappropriate sexualization of children. The fact that “The School for Good and Evil” is being distributed by Netflix, a platform that has faced accusations of promoting woke culture and pedophilia through its content, adds to the disturbing nature of the situation.

It is disheartening to witness the presence of potentially harmful themes in a film and its source material that are intended for a young audience. The portrayal of pedophilic undertones and the objectification of children raises valid concerns regarding the appropriateness of the content being presented. It is crucial for creators, filmmakers, and distributors to prioritize responsible storytelling and protect the well-being of young viewers.