Toy Story 5
- Ben Pivoz
- a few seconds ago
- 3 min read
Toy Story is one of the most important movies of the last forty years. Released in 1995, it was the first feature length computer animated film and the first production from Pixar. It was groundbreaking at the time and definitely holds up, both as a milestone in technology and as a great movie. 1999’s Toy Story 2 and 2010’s Toy Story 3 made for a strong trilogy with a perfect conclusion. But then they made another. 2019’s Toy Story 4 was entertaining, cute and amusing enough, though it felt like a totally unnecessary epilogue to an already completed story. However, it made a lot of money, so here we go again with Toy Story 5.
Credit to the Pixar team, they take a new approach to this sequel. It is not Woody or Buzz as the protagonist, as they move Jessie to the center stage. Additionally, they find a slightly different spin on “the gang is afraid of being left behind as their kid gets older,” with the plot focusing on technology taking the place of imagination during playtime. It is still likable, there are some inspired ideas and funny scenes. If the magic is gone, well, the series already had the best possible ending sixteen years ago. As far as unnecessary movies go, these are pretty good.
With Woody gone after the events of Toy Story 4, Jessie is now the leader of the toys in Bonnie’s room. When Bonnie struggles to make friends, her parents buy her a tablet to help her connect with other kids. Once again, the gang is in danger of being shoved in a box.
The premise of this series has always been great for exploring themes such as aging, friendship, love and change. That continues in Toy Story 5 (92 minutes, plus mid and post credit scenes). Kids see a story about dolls and action figures fighting for attention with a computer device. Adults see a story about relevance and attention spans in a rapidly changing world. How can something that contains entertainment, shopping, information and can be used to communicate be competed with? We could also read into this something about humans losing jobs to machines/AI. Pixar packs a lot into its packages and this screenplay is pretty full. The plot is kept simple, mostly concerned with how toys and games affect Bonnie as she tries to fit in with other kids.
That is the stuff that kept my interest. The overall arc of this franchise doesn’t really exist anymore. They are trying to stretch it out, but there isn’t much to add following the tearjerking finale of part 3. Woody shows up to help, leading to a bunch of old man jokes, yet that doesn’t contribute much beyond seeing a beloved character return. Buzz’s journey is also complete, as he mainly participates in a subplot about finding the right time to propose to Jessie. The other familiar faces pop in, feeling more like nostalgia than anything else. The voice cast is stacked and enjoyable as always.
I laughed a bit, the message is good and there are some heartwarming moments. I cannot, in good conscience, discourage people from seeing Toy Story 5. There is nothing specifically wrong with it besides the overwhelming sense that there is no reason for it to exist. It is going to make a lot of money, certainly leading to 6 and probably 7 and 8 down the line. It was fine. It is just disappointing seeing a once great franchise that clearly has nothing more to say.
3¼ out of 5
Voice Cast:
Joan Cusack as Jessie
Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear
Tom Hanks as Woody
Greta Lee as Lilypad
Scarlett Spears as Bonnie
Mykal-Michelle Harris as Blaze
Conan O’Brien as Smarty Pants
Directed by McKenna Harris and Andrew Stanton
Screenplay by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris