Released: 21st June 2019 (UK)
Length: 100 Minutes
Certificate: U
Director: Josh Cooley
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keanu Reeves, Madeline McGraw, Keegan Michael-Key, Jordan Peele, Christina Hendricks, Ally Maki, Lori Alan and Jay Hernandez
The Toy Story franchise ranks as easily the strongest of Pixar’s long line of successes and with 2010’s Toy Story 3, many an audience, myself included, felt it offered arguably the most emotional and perfect finale to a film trilogy. After nine years, I’m very happy to say that Toy Story 4 is not a throwaway sequel and it deserves every bit of attention from audiences this summer.
Taking place shortly after 3’s ending, Woody (Voiced again by Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the band of toys have a new owner named Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw), who is facing the challenge of entering Kindergarten. Being the responsible toy that he is, Woody sneaks into class with her and the young girl soon invents a new creation named Forky (Tony Hale), who Woody becomes a pseudo-father-figure to. As Bonnie and her family head on a road-trip, the gang finds themselves in a summer carnival and an unexpected reunion with Bo Peep (played by the returning Annie Potts) ensues. It’s a frenetic mix of exploration and other escapades as Woody, Bo and the other characters keep Forky out of harm’s way and avoid getting lost in the bustling mountain village. Right from the offset, Toy Story 4 makes its intentions and themes known, getting the audience invested in the characters and the questions of existence they ponder over; this time it’s more about the toys and what they can do for their owners. There are a few passing mentions of older films, but this fourth entry is firmly focused on telling a new and compelling story that maintains the great mix of drama, comedy and action that makes the franchise so enjoyable. There’s hardly a single scene that drags down the pacing and every main member of the crew is given some beautiful arcs that all pay off in heartfelt ways.
The characters of the fourth Toy Story are every bit as lovable as they were before; everyone eases back into their roles without breaking a sweat and when the major characters are given their memorable moments, it’s just as exciting as you remember. Woody again forms much of the story’s main hook and Tom Hanks does a fantastic job of conveying the character’s deep-rooted beliefs and sense of responsibility. But the film’s biggest strength and what puts Toy Story 4 beyond mediocre sequel territory are the new and updated characters. Leading the charge is Bo Peep, with a new look and place in the story that makes for a superb upgrade alongside Tony Hale’s Forky. There’s Keanu Reeves playing the action-loving stunt toy Duke Caboom, a near-flawless fit and the comedic relief of Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele as the stuffed animals Ducky and Bunny to round off the cast. What’s impressive about these characters is their unique charm and despite their often-over-the-top personalities, they never once got annoying for me. Finally, there’s an older antique doll named Gabby Gabby (played by Christina Hendricks) Without giving anything away, what the film does with this “antagonist” is both inventive and incredibly poignant, with a few sprinklings of horror to sweeten the deal. The only issue I have with the entire film is the balance of screen-time between the characters; while the newcomers are all brilliantly fleshed out and implemented, some old favourites don’t have as much to do in the plot. When compared to everything else the film gets right however, it’s an insignificant issue.
Animation has come a long way since the original Toy Story in 1995 and the fourth entry reaches a remarkable and extensive level of detail. Just like its predecessors, Toy Story 4 pops with colour, the lighting effects generating some beautiful ambience to the proceedings. But where it goes the extra mile is with a greater focus on photo-realism; there are many moments in the film where you’ll be left in awe of the digital talent on show from a vivid rainstorm that opens the film right down to the realistic looking textures on the toys themselves. There’s some superb creativity as well with the toy’s unique features layered across the action sequences to brilliant effect. Randy Newman is also back to score the film and his compositions are again excellent with a wide array of tracks that will really pull at the heartstrings. In truth, everything about the production is working to dazzle the viewer with not a single weak image in sight.
Contrary to what many believed during its production, Toy Story 4 is the biggest surprise of the year so far; it’s every bit as delightful as the first three films in the series with some of the most detailed animation Pixar has ever put out. Whether you were watching these characters as a child or are just getting into the series, this is one animated film that anyone can enjoy.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)