Why is lightyear rated pg-13

Buzz Lightyear is a dedicated Space Ranger, devoted to finishing his mission. When a mistake on his part maroons him, his fellow Space Rangers, and an entire group of scientists on a remote and dangerous planet, Buzz knows it’s up to him to get everyone home.

Returning to Earth isn’t going to be quick or easy. The scientists spend a year developing a space base (which seems absurdly fast for a planet with zero infrastructure) and trying to create a fuel cell that will allow a ship to travel at hyperspeed. Each time Buzz does a test flight with newly mixed fuel, the minutes he spends in travel correspond to years experienced by his friends on the planet. Soon, he returns to a planet and society he barely recognizes…and things only get worse when Zurg and his robotic army complicate the plot.

While most movies are depicted as “true” stories – at least in a “make believe” world – there is no pretense that Lightyear is a true story. Instead, the opening credits introduce it as the movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy so beloved of Andy in the Toy Story franchise. Oddly enough, just knowing that nothing on the screen is supposed to be real starts the story off with a bit of distance between it and the audience. That distance never shrinks and is a major weakness in the movie. I love Pixar films and expected the usual combination of peerless animation, intriguing characters, and riveting stories. Lightyear delivers on the first, but it stutters on the other two, leaving me apathetic and, disappointingly, bored for much of the runtime.

Pixar’s record is so strong that I have repeatedly second-guessed my assessment of this production. I’m going to stand by it though: Lightyear doesn’t reach Pixar’s standards. The only fleshed-out character is Buzz himself, and even he isn’t as well rounded as he should be. He exhibits determination, persistence, stubbornness, arrogance, and a certain amount of aloofness. Character growth is thankfully part of the plot and is welcome when it happens, but it feels like it occurs too late in the day. As for the storyline, it is clearly caught in some kind of space/time dislocation because it drags on interminably and feels a good half hour longer than its runtime. I don’t think I have ever clock-watched in a Pixar film before, but after the first half hour (the best part of the film), I was checking my watch every ten minutes.

If you’re trying to decide whether you should take your kids to this movie, I can’t give you a categorical answer – just some questions. Is your youngster obsessed with Buzz Lightyear? He or she will probably love the movie. Action fans will also get a kick out of all the human versus robot fight scenes. Is your kid easily frightened? Then you should probably pick another show. This movie features tentacled monsters that repeatedly attack people, frequent fight scenes (often with weapons), and some incredibly perilous scenes in outer space. If you have strongly held traditional views on sexuality, a kiss between two women and scenes of their family life will probably rule this movie out for you – but families with contemporary attitudes will appreciate the representation.

Should you choose to take your family to this film, there are some bright spots. The animation is stellar and the messages about persistence, hard work, facing your fears, reaching out to others, and learning to re-assess your goals are worth sharing with your kids. Buzz’s latest adventure might not reach to “infinity and beyond” but it provides a bit of a ride for young fans who want to spend some time with their Space Ranger hero.

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.

When Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story was first released in 1995, Astronaut Buzz Lightyear and Cowboy Woody became cinema’s most unlikely duo. While they might not have been the best of friends in the beginning, they quickly learned to respect one another, and over the course of 4 films. However, while their friendship may have been the driving force of the franchise, it was always Woody first, and Buzz second.

Buzz playing a proverbial second fiddle to Woody is no more, as with Lightyear, this franchise looks to dive into the origin of one of Star Commands’ very best. Lightyear is led by Chris Evans – not Tim Allen who voiced the toy version of Buzz Lightyear – voicing the fictional famous astronaut who would be the inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear toy the world has come to know.

The movie will take Buzz and his friends into the stars to take on aliens, robots, and the dreaded Emperor Zurg – who fans of this franchise should already know. This film is geared more toward the action genre, so the question remains: Is this franchise still for kids?

Lightyear was officially given a PG rating for scenes of action/peril from the MPAA. When the first trailer was released, it was initially questioned if this movie would be the first Pixar film to receive the PG-13 rating.

Ultimately, the MPAA decided there was not enough “adult” material to go in that direction. However, with the “action/peril” sentiment given to it, it is safe to say this could be a more intense Pixar film when it comes to visuals. Pixar primarily stays away from the action genre as a whole with The Incredibles 1/2  being their only true dip into that realm.

Given the PG rating, it is safe to say that this movie should be okay for kids. The animation seems friendly enough for younger viewers, and Pixar has their signature “animal relief” character – this film includes a talking robotic cat – to hopefully ease some of the more tense moments on screen.

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Lightyear is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the summer, and maybe even the year. The new movie is visually stunning and an overall thrilling sci-fi adventure. But how thrilling is thrilling? And what age range is Lightyear appropriate for? Here’s what parents need to know for when Lightyear premieres in theaters on June 17.

Lightyear is rated PG.

Lightyear has a received a PG rating for “action/peril.” Which isn’t a surprise, really: 10 of the 12 most recent Pixar movies — including Brave, Inside Out, and even Luca — have suggested parental guidance. (Fun fact: the first Pixar movie to have a PG rating was The Incredibles in 2004 with Up following in 2009.) As such, parents might want to learn a little bit more about the movie before going to see it, particularly if their kid is especially sensitive or has specific triggers or fears. Personally, I very much saw it as a family film, as have multiple movie critics on Twitter, so generally speaking it’s a safe bet.

Several countries have, unfortunately, banned Lightyear from playing in cinemas.

Unfortunately, cinemas in 14 countries in the Middle East and Asia have banned the film for a same-sex kiss between two lesbian characters. (Which is so quick and casual you could blink and miss it.) Reuters reports that the film’s theatrical fate in China, the world’s largest movie market, remains in question. In many of the countries where the film has been banned, including the Unite Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, homosexuality is a criminal offense.

The UAE’s Media Regulatory Office announced on Twitter that Lightyear is “not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards.” The scene in question, a brief kiss between a character and her wife, had been previously cut and was only reinstated after protest from Pixar employees in light of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Though Lightyear is a bit more intense than Toy Story, it’s still a family film.

Within the “PG spectrum,” we’re more in The Incredibles or Brave territory than, say, Finding Dory, but the kind of action we see in the Lightyear trailer — giant, hostile robots, a number of fight sequences, and a bunch of Star Wars–style weapons — is similar to things we’ve already seen from Pixar in the past. In a promotional interview for the film, Keke Palmer, who plays Izzy Hawthorne, said, “When we say ‘epic sci-fi adventure,’ we really mean that.”

In other words, if your child was scared of Mr. Incredible fighting Syndrome or Mordu snarling at Merida, you might want to preview Lightyear more carefully to see if it’s right for your family, but, in general, it’s very much kid friendly.

Another big difference between Lightyear and other films in the Toy Story franchise: this Buzz (played by Chris Evans) isn’t a “child’s plaything.” He’s human.

We all know that, in 1995, Andy got a Buzz Lightyear toy for his birthday. We now know (based on an introductory message before the movie) that the toy is based on a movie he saw in theaters: this, the filmmakers say, is that movie. Lightyear is a “love letter” to science fiction movies and, overall, a successful stand-alone work while serving as an homage to the Toy Story franchise.

According to Evans, Buzz’s humanity changes the tenor of the story a bit. “The Buzz that we all know is obviously a toy,” he said in a press conference for the film. “And as a toy, there are certain ways that they can move through the world without the weight that we may carry. A toy knows its purpose. A toy doesn’t have to worry about disease. The downstream impacts of the choices that we make as people are a little bit more consequential, and it’s fun to put Buzz against that backdrop.”

Our verdict: Lightyear is probably a good choice for the whole family.

Lightyear is a family-friendly good time but, of course, every family has different versions of what’s appropriate for their kids.

Personally, as a mom of two (and a Pixar fan), I found nothing objectionable when I brought my grade-schoolers and would have felt perfectly comfortable taking them to see it at age 4. (Admittedly, some of the more cerebral sci-fi elements probably would have gone over their heads, but there’s enough action that they’d still enjoy it.) The main reason I’d be hesitant to bring my 3-year-old is the fact that I wouldn’t trust them to stay seated (or handle the very loud sound system during the many action sequences) in a movie theater. Run time is certainly another thing to consider: Lightyear clocks in at an hour and 45 minutes, making it about 20 minutes longer than Toy Story but about the same length as Toy Story 4. Definitely doable for many preschoolers but maybe more challenging for a toddler. Of course, every kid is different and you know yours better than anyone!

Another good way to see if Lightyear might be too intense for your Junior Space Ranger is to check out the trailer and then maybe show them to see how they react.

The Lightyear trailer features some action sequences that are perhaps more intense than young Pixar fans are used to.

Even if they’re a little creeped out by the red-eyed robots, we’re guessing the adorable talking robot cat is enough to make them smile!