Directed by: Josh Cooley
Runtime: 100 minutes
Disney seems to be having a few ‘did we really need this?’ films on the horizon, with a never-ending list of live-action reboots and sequels slated in future years. To me, and I think a lot of people, Toy Story 4 was one of these films. After such a bittersweet, yet well-crafted, ending to the original trilogy, there was always a feeling that the fourth instalment would feel tacked on. Our current cinematic climate is very postmodern; nothing is new, so just shut up and buy a ticket anyway. However, after watching Toy Story 4, I can definitely say the franchises’ creativity hasn’t waned.
This time, our favourite toys are faithful companions to their new child, Bonnie. Bonnie is about to begin Kindergarten, and on her orientation day, creates a new friend… “Forky” (Tony Hale). Meanwhile, Woody (Tom Hanks) is not as treasured as he once was, and Buzz (Tim Allen) learns to listen to his ‘inner voice’. The film is full of quirky characters, engaging hi-jinks, and soulful moments. Newcomers Forky, Ducky & Bunny (Key & Peele), and Duke Kaboom (Keanu Reeves) are all loveable characters that provide a lot of laughs and creative decisions. Bo Peep (Annie Potts) has a lot more character depth in this instalment and proves to be worthy of it.
With such a focus on Woody and his new-found friends, we, unfortunately, see a lot of our old favourites thrown to the wayside. Buzz doesn’t get much to do; he doesn’t have a character arc, is thrown around by the plot, and just circulates around one joke for the entire runtime. Jessie (Joan Cusack) has a couple of nice moments, but they are few and far between. The rest of the old crew are reduced to one-line cameos and background shots, but really, the film wasn’t about them. Woody has proved to be a character with a surprising amount of nuances that can be explored in film after film, and this was really his movie.
While not as tear-jerkingly emotional as moments in Toy Story 2 and 3, I would say there was a small lump in my throat in a couple of scenes. On the opposite side of the coin, the humour in this film was top-notch. Kids and adults laughed wholeheartedly in the screening I went to, and none of the jokes will be getting dated any time soon (looking at you, Ralph Breaks the Internet). Forky, in particular, is nowhere near as annoying as I feared, and Ducky & Bunny provide some nice, hearty laughs throughout. Keanu Reeves continually proves his worth as the breathtaking individual he is, as I found his character’s backstory one of the most ridiculous—yet oddly plausible—subplots.
Does this film prove its worth? Well… yes and no. It’s obvious Pixar had more interesting ideas yet to explore, and it was only in a few minor points that I felt things had become ‘samey.’ However, the original ending to the trilogy was a perfect capstone, and Toy Story 4 never matches the absolute gut-punch that was the third act of Toy Story 3. If you see this as an epilogue to the series, it fits the description well, providing adequate footnotes to a story already so well-told. Engaging, funny, and heartwarming, Toy Story 4 is a film that we didn’t think we needed, but I for one am happy with its existence.
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