Toy Story 4 Review

Pixar’s Toy Story 4 could be widely regarded as a sequel that nobody asked for, but for all the right reasons. Toy Story 3 closed the series in the perfect way, a fulfilling arc for both the long-time toy owner Andy and all his faithful childhood companions. Although the conclusion made it possible to continue, many thought that Pixar wouldn’t in fear of becoming repetitive. However, nine years after the release of the third installment, Pixar has decided to add one more chapter to the studio’s magnum opus. It’s not long into the fourth film that the worries of repetition or unoriginality vanish. Toy Story 4 is a marvelous achievement on multiple levels; a visually stunning animated world with a story that perfectly balances the bleakest and brightest moments of purpose, friendship and becoming. Although the ending doesn’t pack the same emotional punch as the previous movie, the studio once again forges a wonderfully fitting and beautiful send-off to the franchises beloved characters.

It's not surprising that director Josh Cooley has done an amazing job creating moments that evoke arrays of emotion. The comfort, confidence and knowledge he has built from being a part of successful animated features like Inside Out, Up and Ratatouille is on full display for Toy Story 4. The combination of Cooley’s framing and the films mind-blowing animation create scenes that are rich in detail and depth. Toy Story 4 is by far the most breath-taking film Pixar has ever released, blending an often-realistic looking world with the familiar aesthetics of the series to create visuals that are remarkable.

Toy Story 4 follows Woody through a journey of rediscovering his purpose. Having fulfilled his life as Andy’s toy and now becoming less popular with his new owner Bonnie, Woody begins to challenge his purpose and struggles to figure out what’s next for him. Despite not being played with as much as he is used to, Woody still maintains a leadership like role within the group, which now includes a new member called Forky, a beloved toy of Bonnie’s that she crafted out of a spork and various materials in her kindergarten class. Forky’s awareness that he is more trash than toy gives him an anxiousness that makes him unpredictable. The growing affection that Bonnie has for Forky forces Woody to take it upon himself to make sure that Forky stays safe. Though that task becomes increasingly more difficult when Forky decides to jump out the RV Bonnie and her family are taking their vacation in. This sends Woody on a rescue mission that crosses paths with both new and familiar faces.

The elements of Toy Story 4 always flow evenly together despite the various emotional tones the film achieves. Randy Newman returns once again to compose a breezy score that fits perfectly over the impeccable visuals. Tom Hanks gives an incredible performance that can only be expected from an actor of his caliber and skill, complimented by the equally fantastic efforts from the rest of the cast. Pixar uses nostalgia to once again evoke emotion from the fans who’ve grown up with these characters, but never uses it to the point where it feels forced or out of place.

The new characters introduced throughout are incredibly funny and well-written. Writers Stephany Folsom and Andrew Stanton’s ability to give each of these new toys dynamic personalities and motives that are entertaining and diverse is something that few manage to do as successfully. New toys to the franchise like Forky, Bunny & Ducky and Duke Kaboom are often the catalysts to many of the films most memorable moments.

Though the focus on the new characters leaves little time for the familiar ones like Slinky, Rex, Hamm and the Potato Head’s. Many of these toys feel underutilized until the last moments of the film, which slightly dampens the weight of the closing scenes. Even more prominent characters like Buzz and Jessie feel like bystanders for many of the conflicts during the films first act.

Ultimately, these extremely minor issues never take away from the films charm, humour or wholesomeness. Toy Story 3 concluded with a more effective ending that left the possibility of another installment open, Toy Story 4 ends with something that feels more definitive. It’s hard to say if Pixar will once again take these characters on another adventure, but what is certain is that Toy Story 4 will help solidify the franchise as one of the consistently best animated stories in cinema.

Heartfelt themes, a fitting score, wonderful directing and memorable performances topped with the most impressive visuals ever from Pixar makes Toy Story 4 an extremely welcomed addition to the already celebrated series.

Produced By: Disney Pixar
Runtime: 100 minutes
Rating: G