By Glenn Kay, For the Sun
Rating: 3 out of 4
Running Time: 102 minutes
This feature from Disney/Pixar opens exclusively in theaters on Friday, June 19.
It has been a long time since the first computer animated Toy Story movie debuted on cinema screens… 31 years, to be exact. Over that time, technology has become so advanced that the original and the latest effort, Toy Story 5, have a strikingly different appearance. The newest chapter employs top-of-the-line animation that makes even some of the outdoor environments approach photo realism. But, how does the new story hold up?
After the events of the previous chapter, Jessie (Joan Cusack) is now the leader of the toys at the home of Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), with Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) serving as her second in command. Unfortunately, the shy youngster is struggling to fit in with other kids, who are all obsessed with their tablets and think regular toys are babyish. In desperation, her parents purchase Lilypad “Lily” (Greta Lee) and things improve.
But Bonnie immediately forgets and ignores Jessie and the other toys. The girl also begins to suffer from a bit of cyberbullying. Meanwhile, Woody (Tom Hanks) is still living out in the wild, helping abandoned toys find new owners. The playthings eventually try to help the girl form a friendship with an animal-loving girl on a farm named Blaze Manoukian (Mykal-Michaelle Harris). There is also a subplot featuring a large sea container that falls off a ship, releasing a number of updated Buzz Lightyear figures in search of a purpose.
Naturally, the cast are all excellent as the famous characters. Jessie is the lead in this picture, displaying concern for Bonnie and determination to keep herself and the others useful and available to the little girl. As for the toys, their interactions have always been fun to watch and continue to be, as Hanks and Allen trade a few good-natured quips with each other. It’s also fun to hear some of the other characters resigning themselves to defeat as a new threat to their existence arrives.
One new highlight is Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien) an old, out-of-date electronic toy designed to help kids learn to use the potty. He gets some of the best lines in the picture. Many other characters make entertaining although brief cameos, adding a laugh here and there. There are also some fun moments with the Lightyears, although the subplot doesn’t end up making as big of an impact on the main story thread as expected. And, as previously noted, the animation on display is incredible, particularly for exteriors, which are phenomenal.
The premise is an excellent one, presenting a new and interesting form of drama to the story. It’s easy to see how many youngsters are becoming addicted to screens (as well as their parents), setting up an immediate form of tension for the protagonists. This movie does take an overly soft approach to its central conflict and loses some of the potential drama in the process. Bonnie’s parents aren’t on any devices and are focused on Bonnie. Even after Lily arrives on the scene, the girl does want to play with toys, but pushes them away for fear of upsetting her new friends who spend all their time online. Even the antagonist turns out to be just as upset about what’s occurring as the other toys, trying to offer positive suggestions for its use at one point in the movie.
The screenplay does come across as pulling its punches (especially given the fact that other countries are now noting the negative effects of social media and preventing younger kids from using it, as well as warning about too much screentime).
Overall, Toy Story 5 is an entertaining kid’s film that delivers incredible visuals and great voice work. The only drawback to this sequel is that, for such a timely premise, it’s handled in a very simple and safe manner. This follow-up isn’t as exciting, tense, or as emotional as previous efforts, and doesn’t really want to offer biting satire or a deeper criticism of modern technology and the impact it can have on our lives. In the end, it’s not the strongest entry in the franchise, but even a lesser follow-up in this series is still fine for the entire family.
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