The story has the veneer of hard science but it's mostly a cookie cutter emotional ride full of highs and lows. Perhaps the book is better, but probably not.

The lead is a down-on-his-luck 'put upon' male character who gets eased into the comfort zone of the audience by downplaying his intelligence and making him self-effacing and humble.

The entire movie is tailored to be as audience-friendly as possible. It was amusing enough and has fisting jokes, which were funny.

Woke elements:

• Project lead is a ruthless female.
• the male lead has to find his bravery (again).
• the male lead's scientific achievements were immediately downplayed, as to not suggest that only white Westerners would be capable of such scientific feats.
• the male lead has a flutter of jealousy for an interracial couple (black man, white woman, naturally, rofl).
• the male lead instantly befriends a black character.

The main character is more or less a stand-in for the white man in Western society?