Toy Story 4 Review

Toys II Men.

What can be said about Toy Story that hasn’t already been said? The series has been embedded in the hearts of children and adults since the release of the first film in 1995. The route of the series has never conventional. When Toy Story was released it changed the landscape of cinema forever. Not only was Toy Story Pixar’s first feature film, but it was the first film ever to be fully computer animated. If the film never existed who knows what the landscape of animation would look like today. Toy Story was much more than a technical achievement. Toy Story was and still is one of the finest family films ever to be released. Filled with heart, memorable characters and hilarious dialogue, the film is a classic. Pixar with a goldmine in their hands almost made the biggest mistake in movie history. Toy Story 2 was intended to be a direct to video sequel. Thankfully, Pixar realised the gem of a film they had, so they released it in cinemas. Toy Story 2 somehow made the prior film look like a trial run. The sequel is perfect. In my eyes it’s the finest sequel of all time. Taking all the elements of the first film and tweaking them into perfection. Following Toy Story 2 fans thought they were done with the beloved characters. Everything was tied up into a lovely bow. Pixar has other ideas. 11 years after Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3 was released. Despite the fears of everyone who had seen the previous masterpieces; Toy Story 3 matched what had come before. It was like the gang had been off screen for 11 minutes, not 11 years. Toy Story 3 was a beautiful ending to the series. Every single person on the planet has wept to the final scene. Everything was tied up into an even tighter bow. Once again, Pixar has other plans for its fans. Toy Story 4 arrives 9 years after the previous film. Despite everything that’s happened over the course of the series. Fans, including myself, were terrified that this film was going to ruin the good will of everything that’s come before. If we have learnt one thing from the Toy Story series, it’s that we should never doubt Pixar.

Toy Story 4 continues the story of Woody (Tom Hanks) and the gang as they adapt to life under their new owner Bonnie.  With a new owner comes change.  Change is the central theme of the film. Woody needs to learn how to adapt to not being the favourite anymore. In doing so he forms a friendship with Forky (Tony Hale), a spork who has come to life through the power of imagination. Forky is having as existential crisis as he was never meant to come to life. The film centres around Woody and Forky’s journey to discover what exactly their purpose is. A road trip leads to them encountering new allies and a familiar face in the form of Bo Peep (Annie Potts). Toy Story 4 never feels unnecessary. Which is a major relief considering the finality of 3. Opening with a flashback to a rainy night in Andy’s house the film is terrific. From the beginning you know that you’re in for a treat. All the ingredients are there. The characters feel fresh after all these years. The music makes you smile like it’s the first time you’re hearing it.  Most importantly, the heart of the series is in full flow. Your eyes will water before the film gets going. The opening was the strongest of both the year and Pixar’s entire catalogue. The film is a fast-paced adventure/romance film that hits all the right places. The second and third act take place almost entirely in a carnival and antiques shop. Both locations are used to their full potential. The theme park is used for action sequences that will leave younger viewers in awe. While the antique shop ignited horror elements into the film. The ventriloquist dolls will haunt my dreams for weeks. Many will dismiss Toy Story 4 before they have even seen it.  This is not a downgrade from the almost flawless trilogy. Toy Story 4 has every right to stand along the previous films. How can you not love a film that has a romance for the ages?

Has there ever been an animated story with a more compelling arc than Woody? Tom Hanks has handled the cowboy with care and emotion since he was 38. Hanks is now 62 and still ignites the same level of passion into the character. Toy Story has always been Woody’s story. From dealing with a rival to saying goodbye to his best friend. Woody has been through the works. Toy Story 4 deals with the aftermath of his parting with Andy. No longer the head honcho. Woody is taking a back seat in his environment. Bonnie would prefer to play with Jessie (Joan Cusack) and her old toys. The old Woody would have been adamant about getting his share of the spotlight. This Woody doesn’t seem to have his heart in it anymore. The central plot of the film revolves around him trying to figure out how to be happy in his new climate. When his paths cross with Bo Peep a new lease of life unleashes into him.  Woody gets his groove back and it’s joyous to witness. Bo Peep is back after missing the last film. No longer just a shepherd. Bo Peep is an adventurer who unites lost toys with their owners.  Bo Peep would not go amiss hanging out with Furiosa in the Mad Max wasteland. Annie Potts is wonderful as Bo. Despite her minimal screen time in the first 2 films her absence was heavy in 3. Potts is a revelation this time around. Bo is funny, charismatic and inspiring whenever she’s on screen. The chemistry between Hanks and Potts is as high as ever before. We’ve always been rooting for Woody and Bo to make it to the end together. To see them reunited after all this is exhilarating. I never knew I could be so invested in a relationship between 2 toys.

The old gang aren’t at the forefront this time around. If there’s one fault with the film is that it doesn’t give most of the characters anything to do. Jessie has about 5 lines of dialogue in the entire film. Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and Rex (William Shaw) have even less. Don Rickles who played Mr Potato Head sadly passed away before the making of the film. It’s bittersweet whenever we see him on screen. Bonnies toys aren’t given an opportunity to impress either. It would have been nice to have a third plot that explored the dynamic between the old and new guard. After knowing Bonnie’s toys for 2 films it’s disappointing that there wasn’t a passing of the torch moment. Buzz (Tim Allen) is dumbed down, but at least he gets an arc. The intergalactic space ranger spends the film alongside Bunny and Ducky (Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key) as they embark on a rescue mission. Key and Peele are as hilarious as ever. One sequence where they explain how they would retrieve a key is one of the funniest scenes I’ve seen in some time. The other new characters shine too. Forky one of the series’ greatest creations. The existential crisis of a spork should not be as entertaining as it is. Tony Hale has a gift for making the absurd believable. Forky will become a pop culture icon and you can hold me to that. Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) is a villain who exceeds expectations in every way. Hendricks adds a layer of sympathy to her that makes the villain one of the more compelling characters. If you aren’t sold on the film yet let me add this. Keanu Reeves voices Duke Caboom; A Canadian stuntman from the 80s who strikes a new pose on his motorbike after every word he says. It’s as amazing as it sounds.

Director Josh Cooley knocked this film out of the park. Directing an animated film is a daunting task.  Before you even record your lines, you need to make sure that everything is perfect. Toy Story 4’s animation is so beautiful that you’d be in awe of it even if the narrative was a disaster. Cooley makes the smaller moments feel as important as the big moments. It’s clear to see that he didn’t want to make a merely acceptable film. Cooley wanted to make a film that would make the series’ reputation stronger. While the past films may have been grander. It’s the low stakes of this film that make it unique. The little moments are beautiful. Weather it’s Bo fixing Woody’s hat or a famous line reappearing in passing. Every little moment strikes a chord. It’s even more impressive considering that this is Cooley’s feature debut. An impossible task made possible by a director who is striving for greatness. Remember Josh Cooley’s name because this guy is going places. The script is airtight. Written by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom, the script is filled with quotable lines and heavy dialogue. Stanton wrote 2 and 3 so he knows how to handle these characters. Folsom makes her film debut on the script. Folsom makes sure that the film has rounded female characters. I’ve been constantly complaining about how many movies this summer have been undermining female characters through dreadful dialogue. One thing that every film had in common was that they were written by men. It’s almost as if hiring female writer leads to better female characters being written.  Bo Peep is arguably the strongest female character that Pixar have. It’s about time that little girls have characters to look up to.

Toy Story 4 is another wonderful addition to the beloved series. Any anxieties of the film being underwhelming disappear within seconds of the film. In ways it feels like a better closing chapter than 3. The tears may not be as heavy this time, but the ending makes perfect sense. Toy Story has solidified its position as the best film series of all time. When have 4 films ever been at this high of a standard? It’s unheard of. I’d say I’m completely against a 5^th film, but I was the guy who was firmly against Toy Story 4. If another film comes out in 10 years and is handled with the same care and precision as this one, then why not? I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Never doubt Pixar. They always strive to reach infinity…. And beyond.

Liam’s Summary of Toy Story 4.

Best Moment: The plush rush is an experience that will make you cry with laughter.

Worst Moment: Buzz’s running joke in the film wasn’t funny the first time or the tenth time.

Best Character: This is Woody’s film. He’s is my favourite deputy after all.

Worst Character: For the first time in the series Buzz is bland.

Fantastic 4^th Instalments.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol: The Dubai sequence is amongst the best in action.

Avengers: Endgame: The current leader in the race to become 2019’s best film.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope: This was harder than I expected.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5