Movie review
December 4, 2019 · 102 min · PG
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Spies in Disguise.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent lead for Black actor Will Smith as the suave, elite, highly competent super spy Lance Sterling in a Bond-style role. Supporting includes Rashida Jones in a major tough female agent role and other diverse voices in the spy agency. Diversity is visible in key positions in a modern setting, but the story does not signal or center identity, race, or gender as character drivers or plot elements.
Woke political dialogue
Walter promotes non-lethal gadgets and argues that "when we fight fire with fire, we all get burned" and that weird ideas can win. Directors referenced subverting toxic masculinity and gender politics as intentional. Dialogue remains comedic and personal rather than activist rhetoric, systemic critique, or identity-focused arguments.
Identity-driven story themes
"Let's get weird" and teamwork/non-violence messages run through the film, tied to Walter's personal trauma and growth. These focus on individual creativity, friendship, and practical tactics rather than race, gender, sexuality, or modern activist identity politics.
Review
Spies in Disguise is a 2019 Blue Sky Studios computer-animated spy comedy in which elite agent Lance Sterling (Will Smith) and young gadget inventor Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) must work together after Lance is accidentally turned into a pigeon by one of Walter's experiments. The pair stops a revenge-seeking terrorist while Walter pushes non-lethal gadgets and the value of "weird" ideas. Directors publicly described subverting toxic masculinity and traditional spy genre tropes as part of the message, with visible casting of a Black actor in the hyper-competent lead spy role and diverse supporting voices in agency positions.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Directors explicitly cited intent to dismantle "toxic masculinity" in the spy genre and include gender politics/gender equality messages relevant to today's day and age, shown through the lone-wolf lethal hero learning to rely on a nerdy partner and unconventional methods. The agency is portrayed as the heroic institution; no broader anti-Western, anti-capitalist, or institutional critiques appear.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. Original story loosely inspired by a 2009 short film; no established characters, canon, or historical figures altered for identity, DEI, or ideological reasons.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No significant public or media complaints framing the title as pushing woke, DEI, identity politics, or left-wing content. Reception stayed positive and focused on entertainment. A handful of isolated comments noted moral lessons or specific interpretations, but nothing widespread or organized.
Creator track record context
Directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane have directed work adapting queer-centered stories and publicly supported preserving LGBTQ+ themes and inclusive messaging. Writer Lloyd Taylor contributed to similar adaptations. Producers include figures with Democratic donation histories and some past projects touching diversity or barriers. Other writers show lighter or no such patterns. Overall creative team has some later identity-focused elements.
Production
