Toy Story 4 Review: Woody & Buzz Once Again Generate Laughter, Joy, and Tears
- naterichard98
- Jul 20, 2019
- 2 min read
DIRECTED BY: JOSH COOLEY STARRING: TOM HANKS, TIM ALLEN, & ANNIE POTTS
RATED G
LENGTH: 100 MINUTES
It's safe to say that there was much skepticism in the air when Disney and Pixar announced a Toy Story 4. The first three movies each received critical acclaim and the final act of the third film felt like the perfect final chapter for the characters of Woody & Buzz Lightyear. To add to that fact, many of Pixar's recent long-awaited followups have failed to live up to the high heights of their predecessors. While films from the likes of Incredibles 2, Finding Dory, and Monsters University, were very much enjoyable they weren't as memorable as the films before it.
Luckily, Toy Story 4 completely justifies continuing the animated saga with a story that plays like it's the epilogue to the third film's final chapter. Here we follow Woody (Tom Hanks) trying to welcome a new 'toy' to the fray, Forky (Tony Hale), a plastic spork that Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) created during her Kindergarten orientation. A series of events conspire involving an RV and a carnival that lead Woody to reunite with his long-lost love Bo-Peep (Annie Potts).
Toy Story 4 delivers on all the emotions and laughs that you'd come to expect from a Toy Story film. While much of the returning characters aside from Woody and Bo-Peep are sidelined (yes, even Buzz), the film relies on a lot of new characters, who are just as lovable and memorable as the others. Hale's Forky and Keanu Reeve's Canadian stuntman Duke Caboom are two of the biggest standouts, Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele's Ducky and Bunny, Ally Maki's Giggle McDimples, and Christina Hendricks' Gabby Gabby all have their own standout moments as well.
Pixar's animation has never looked better than it does here, the environments look almost photo-realistic, the toys look worn. It's an impressive feat all in on it's own for the animation to look so different from the original 1995 film but still retain the same character designs. The scope of the film does a feel a bit smaller than the last two films as it mainly takes place in just a select few locations, but it's still able to be feel like a grand adventure.
It's not uncommon for a Pixar film to tackle deeper themes than a typical animated movie; Coco delves into the concept of death, Inside Out discusses our emotions and why we may feel the way we do. Toy Story 4 is about finding your purpose in life, a message that's easily one of the most mature topics that Pixar has ever delved into. It all leads up to an incredibly emotional ending, that while some may seem coming, leaves a strong impact on the audience.
Toy Story 4 is a winner, it not only delivers on the emotional and comedic beats but it feels very personal from the filmmakers and straight from the heart. One of those rare animated movies where the parent may find themselves enjoying the movie more than their kids.
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