Animation, Science Fiction, Family, Adventure  •  2022  •  105 min  •  Older Kids (7+)

Lightyear (2022)

Lightyear poster

Lightyear (2022)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive

Viewer Rating
6.6

Overview

Legendary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside a group of ambitious recruits and his robot companion Sox.


Starring Cast

Chris Evans  •   Keke Palmer  •   Peter Sohn


Where to watch

Disney Plus logoDisney Plus
Apple TV logoApple TV
Google Play logoGoogle Play
Powered byJustWatch

Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Progressive

Primary

Political: Leans Left
Confidence: High

The film champions themes of inclusivity, collective effort, and acceptance of the present over individualistic obsession and forced control, exemplified by its diverse character representation and the narrative's resolution.

Diversity: High
Confidence: High

The film incorporates explicit DEI through the prominent casting of a Black, lesbian character in a significant supporting role, whose family arc is central to the narrative. Traditional identities are portrayed neutrally or positively without critique, with the film focusing on an adventure story rather than social commentary.

Secondary

LGBTQ: Positive
Confidence: High

The film features Alisha Hawthorne, a Space Ranger, in a loving same-sex relationship with Kiko, with whom she raises a child. This depiction is brief but explicit, normalizing a queer family unit without any negative framing or commentary. The portrayal is respectful and affirming, contributing positively to LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream animation.

Trans: N/A
Confidence: High

Lightyear does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. While the film includes a prominent same-sex couple, this representation does not fall under the scope of transsexual depiction as defined by the rubric.

Female Combat: No
Confidence: Medium

Female characters like Izzy Hawthorne and Darby Steel participate in action sequences, primarily fighting against Zurg's robots. Their victories are achieved through the use of advanced technology, gadgets, and teamwork, rather than direct close-quarters physical combat against male opponents.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film "Lightyear" introduces new characters and provides an origin story for Buzz Lightyear, who remains male. No established characters from the "Toy Story" universe or other source material have their gender changed in this film.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

Lightyear introduces the 'real' human characters that the Toy Story toys are based on. No human character from the film had a prior canonical or widely established race in previous installments or source material, as they were new depictions. Therefore, no character's race was changed from a previously established one.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

6.6

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
6.1
The Movie Database logo
6.9

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
7.4
Metacritic logo
6.0

More Like This

Hoppers poster
Leans Progressive
8.0
Hoppers
 (2026)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Female Combat: Yes
Elio poster
Leans Progressive
7.1
Elio
 (2025)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Nimona poster
Progressive
8.0
Nimona
 (2023)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive
Female Combat: Yes