Toy Story 4 (2019)

Review

100min

Genre:       Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family

Director:    Josh Cooley

Cast:         Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts…and more

Writers:     Andrew Stanton, Stephany Folsom, John Lasseter…more

-Synopsis-

When ‘Bonnie’s’ new favourite makeshift comfort toy ‘Forky’ goes AWOL while on a family road trip, ‘Woody’ and the gang launch an ambitious rescue mission which soon turns into an epic quest, as they’re unexpectedly reunited with old friends and introduced to new ones, learning important lessons along the way . . . in an adventure which will change the future of the group forever.

Twenty-four years after helping to revolutionise an industry and usher in a new era in motion picture animation, and nine years after we witnessed the last adventure of our favourite toys-come-alive, the gang formerly of Andy’s room comes full-circle and returns for a new round of formative adventures with a new kid—as Disney and Pixar find wonderfully creative ways to move and entertain the whole family while teaching us insightful life lessons . . . on their way to yet another unmitigated triumph.

Tom Hanks returns as can-do cowboy Woody, enjoying life with ‘Buzz Lightyear’ (Tim Allen) and the rest of the gang as youngster Bonnie’s prized toys, who welcome a new addition when their kid struggles to adapt to kindergarten and makes her own treasured DIY toy ‘Forky’ (Tony Hale)—a skittish infantile spork with identity issues. But when Forky goes missing in a small fairground town during a family getaway, Woody leads the rescue effort, unexpectedly reuniting with the formidable ‘Bo Peep’ (Annie Potts) and her ‘lost toys’, while crossing paths with vintage doll ‘Gabby Gabby’ (Christina Hendricks) and her minions—on a quest to get back to Bonnie which helps them relive the past . . . and rethink the future.

Whether it’s just clever marketing or a true indication of things to come, the rumours of this being the last film in the franchise, at least as we’ve known it, have certainly added an extra dimension and heaped new pressure on the fourth instalment of arguably the most beloved animation series ever. But it’s a true testament to the folks at Disney•Pixar that even nearly a decade after the last film, restructuring at the company and scandal at the top, they still manage to retain the highest standard of filmmaking, delivering delight across the generations and giving us as good a ‘Toy Story’ film as we’ve seen.

In every conceivable way ‘Toy Story 4’ maintains the high narrative quality and filmmaking standards we’ve come to expect from this series, particularly when it comes to story and character. Yet again the screenwriters create a wholesome and delightful adventure packed with more charm and genuine humour than most so-called modern comedies, capturing the imagination of youngsters and peppering-in clever pop-culture references for their elders—and all while weaving together an insightful tale of family and friendship, and a story of second chances and letting go . . . not to mention a quirky little parenthood parable with universal human themes.

‘Toy Story’ also relies on a cornucopia of quirky characters to make its winning formula work, taking advantage of the decades-long relationship between the audience and original players like Woody and Buzz to build strong emotional nostalgia points, while introducing plenty of unforgettable new figures, none less so than Tony Hale as Forky—the hilariously skitish spork suffering from an identity crisis, who steals every scene he’s in. Aside from Woody himself, the star of this show is arguably Bo Peep, the highly capable ornament voiced by Annie Potts, who helps to subtly raise the film’s female empowerment credentials, while even sneaking in an unexpected romance.

The film is a technical triumph too, maintaining the animation aesthetic we’ve all come to know and love but truly taking the visuals and design to a new level of detail and sophistication, all of which not only helps the film look good but also adds emotional depth to the characters. As always the story is charmingly driven by the uniquely idiosyncratic dulcet tones of Randy Newman, who brings not only beloved classics but also new songs for this film.

It’s a rare occasion when a studio manages to round off a series nearly a quarter of a century after the original while maintaining the level of filmmaking quality throughout, but ‘Toy Story 4’ proves an unmitigated triumph for Disney•Pixar, forever solidifying a place in the hearts of multiple generations for the beloved franchise. Time will tell if its conclusion truly signifies the end of the series, or the beginning of a whole new direction for it. But whatever the past may have brought or whatever the future holds, these iconic, lesson-teaching toys have cemented their place in pop-culture legend, and in movie history.

The Bottom Line…

A playful family adventure and triumphant sequel to tickle your funny bone and jerk your tears, ‘Toy Story 4’ seals a rare flawless movie foursome for Disney and Pixar with an irresistible blend of nostalgia and youthful energy, once again capturing the imagination of multiple generations while teaching insightful universal life lessons along the way . . . and most importantly entertaining us from start to finish.

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