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Pete's Dragon

Name: Pete's Dragon
Director: David Lowery
Released: 2016
Duration: 103 min

Representation Score

8.7/10

Excellent

2016

Director

David Lowery

Runtime

103 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

David Lowery's film shifts focus from traditional societal structures to the strength of unconventional family bonds. By highlighting female leadership and a diverse community, the film goes beyond surface-level inclusion. The narrative excels in its deep themes, critiquing industrial growth and portraying social isolation with nuance. It celebrates bonds formed outside rigid institutions. However, the film could benefit from more explicit LGBTQ+ representation and specific portrayals of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

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Category Breakdown

Does Pete's Dragon have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film doesn't include explicit LGBTQ+ characters or relationships, but it explores close bonds formed among friends and allies.

How does Pete's Dragon portray gender?

Good

Women play key roles in driving the story, especially Grace, who is a strong and authoritative figure. The film presents women as protective and stabilizing forces.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Pete's Dragon?

Good

The cast includes a variety of characters like Natalie and Gavin, reflecting a diverse community. They are not just tokens but integral members of the story.

How does Pete's Dragon represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story questions industrial capitalism and Western institutions, focusing on personal connections and non-traditional families rather than traditional nuclear families.

Does Pete's Dragon include disability representation?

Fair

Though there are no specific physical disabilities, the film addresses the psychological impact of trauma. Characters like Pete are shown with empathy, not just as plot devices.

Present on Screen

Strong female leadership through characters like Grace, who hold positions of professional authority.
A diverse cast that avoids including someone from a minority group without giving them real depth by integrating characters into the story's core.
A sophisticated critique of industrial expansion and traditional Western institutions.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight-centered romantic arcs.
Absence of specific portrayals of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace, who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales... until she meets Pete, a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete's descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham's stories. With the help of Natalie, an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.

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