Is Lightyear Safe for Kids? Here's What Parents Should Know

Lightyear, produced by Pixar Animation Studios in 2022, is considered an ideal movie choice for a family to gather at night. However, the question of “Is Lightyear safe for kids?” has not been resolved yet. In this blog article, we will walk parents through everything they should be aware of before deciding whether their kids should watch this movie or not.

Overview of Lightyear: What's the Movie About?

Lightyear is an American animated science fiction action film - a spin-off of the Toy Story series - produced in 2022. The movie is about a human Buzz Lightyear, who exists in a fictional universe within a fictional universe. As he and his astronaut team are trying to find a way back home through space and time, they encounter the main antagonist of the movie, Emperor Zurg, who is an evil force with ambitions to control time.

Unlike the Toy Story films, Lightyear is rated PG. It is because this movie features a darker concept with at least 5 action-oriented scenes. Yet, the movie conveys many meaningful messages for viewers of all ages, such as bravery, teamwork, and lessons to overcome obstacles in such a harsh life.

Parent Review: What's Appropriate in Lightyear?

If you're wondering whether Lightyear is appropriate for your kids, our next section will uncover everything you need to know, including positive aspects, family-friendly themes, and age suitability.

Positive Aspects

Although Lightyear is action-packed and not as playful as other films from the Toy Story franchise, most of the action-oriented sequences use laser effects rather than bloody fights. So, the violent effects are not much of a big deal.

Another advantage that makes Lightyear suitable for younger viewers is its lack of profanity. The dialogues are all carefully written to align with the mental development of children. Even in the intense battles, there isn’t a single inappropriate word.

Family-Friendly Themes

Pixar Animation Studios has stayed on top for decades, thanks to its humane messages embedded into each film. Lightyear is no exception. It balances entertainment with positive themes such as teamwork, bravely standing up after failures, and forgiving to become better.

Age Suitability

Needless to say, Lightyear successfully covers a wide range of viewers from different ages. While Common Sense Media rates the film as appropriate for children ages 6 and up, it will appeal to older children and adults alike, especially those who grew up with the Toy Story series.

Parent Review: What Might Concern Parents?

Although there are positive attitudes toward Lightyear, many parents are unsure about the impact of this movie on their kids due to its action-oriented scenes and messages about LGBT topics. In our next part, all of them will be addressed in detail. 

Action/Peril

Lightyear has some thrilling scenes that might scare younger viewers. These include spaceship crashes and robot fights. While the production team avoided graphic gore, these scenes and some of the characters' haunting designs may still seem scary to children.

Emotional Themes

The storyline of Lightyear is also complicated. This may be confusing for younger viewers to catch up on. For example, when Buzz returns from his test flights, years pass on the planet while only minutes have gone by for him. As a result, Buzz has to watch his best friend grow up, get married, and even pass away while he remains the same age. These themes of loss are considered to be too difficult for children to understand and sympathize with.

Same-Sex Kiss

In Lightyear, there is a scene where Alisha Hawthorne, a woman who gets pregnant, kisses another woman. There is no doubt that gender equality remains important and should be widely spread in this modern world. But, for a film that is rated for primary school children, it is very hard for them to imagine a same-sex kiss without any explanation from their immature experiences.

In short, Lightyear does not offer serious scenes that can make a negative impact on children. This is contrary to some exaggerated reviews on social media. That said, it will be better for kids to watch this movie together with their parents for necessary explanations, which will lead to more child-friendly experiences. 

Lightyear 2022 Review: What Kids Like About The Movie

Thanks to its stunning visuals, exciting action sequences, and the positive influence of Buzz, Lightyear has successfully captured the imagination of many young viewers. Most of the kids interviewed said that they were excited by the sci-fi scenes and Buzz’s unique space suit.

Below are two reviews we collected from kids after watching this film:

• “I thought it was a good movie. I just don’t think it would be something Andy would watch.” - J

• “I kind of liked it. Because I liked how they made new suits. It looked like the toy, but he was a human. I also like how they fight Zurg.” - T

Most importantly, a boy was asked about the lesson from Lightyear, and he answered, “It’s ok to make mistakes.” 

As we can see, despite several negative aspects from parents that are mentioned above, the movie still makes a positive impact on young audiences. From stunning visual effects in most of the space scenes to meaningful messages about human values, Lightyear catches kids’ eyes throughout most of the runtime, helping it resonate and achieve a total gross of $260 million. 

Obviously, Lightyear is an ideal choice for a family night’s movie, with enough action and emotional depth to engage both kids and parents. While there are a few intense moments to consider, “Is Lightyear safe for kids?” the movie ultimately delivers positive messages.

If you’re a big fan of Toy Story in general and Buzz Lightyear in particular, explore our exclusive Buzz Lightyear collection now to purchase your favorite merchandise.

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