Toy Story 5 reunites us with Jessie (Joan Cusack), Buzz (Tim Allen), and all of Andy’s other toys, now in Bonnie’s (Scarlett Spears) possession.
The last time we saw Bonnie, she was a preschooler making toys out of plastic sporks. She is now in grade school. We all know that this part of growing up is not the easiest. The toys know it too. In fact, they saw the struggles Bonnie went through firsthand when she failed to make friends with her neighbors’ twins.
Jessie would not let that happen to her kid. She believes that one of the best ways to make friends is to play with toys. So if she can entice them to play with her, then she can introduce them to Bonnie, and they will be friends. A perfect plan.
However, when she peers through the twins’ window, she sees them only looking at screens. There is no interaction, no conversation, and no toys in sight. The abandoned toys outside the house tell her about the ongoing technology takeover and warn her that she will soon become obsolete like them.
Jessie is not new to the idea of being left behind. She was once an abandoned toy, but Woody (Tom Hanks) found her and gave her a new home. She knows the pain, and the trauma stays with her. So she does not want it to happen to the other toys too, not on her watch as sheriff.
But alas, things are far too late than she anticipated. Bonnie’s parents brought her a Lilypad (Greta Lee), a new tablet toy that becomes Bonnie’s newest obsession.
Jessie must now round up the gang and come up with a plan to stop screens from taking over their kid’s life and pushing them aside, forever.
Toy Story is great. It has consistent and incredible voice performances, it revolutionized 3D animation, and it taught us to be kinder to friends and to toys. We could also say that it is the cornerstone of Pixar Animation Studios, their quintessential blueprint for creating beautiful, impactful, and meaningful films. Even after three decades, its fingerprints are all over the animated pictures Pixar has created, from Cars to Hoppers.
Hence, I understand why they always try to bring it back. It is twofold: on the business side of things, recognition equals profit; on the creative side of things, it is a premise so flexible and adaptable that it keeps inspiring new stories. Furthermore, it allows them to test new ideas, technology, and people (this is co-director McKenna Harris’ debut film), and it is the safest testing ground without sacrificing much.
Now, the issue is that this is the fifth film in the franchise. The trilogy is perfect, the fourth is Pixar pushing their luck and winning, but a fifth film does not feel like a gamble anymore; it feels like determination mixed with complacency. Additionally, legacy and longevity do not quite work well side by side. Going back to the world of Toy Story is the definition of nostalgia, but there is genuine fear that its perfect run might end on a sour note instead of a sweet one.
In all fairness, Toy Story has a very good story to tell, a story that only Toy Story can tell: toys versus technology. There are a lot of nuances in that debate; it is not as simple as drawing a straight line and pointing one thing toward good and the other toward bad. And I thank the film gods that Pixar gets this.
What the film does instead is refocus the argument from which is better to what is really important at the end of the day, and that is the children who play with both of them. Sure, they both compete for attention, and it is still a peril if the child leans toward one over the other. But the film is saying that they are not absolute enemies. Technology helps children connect with others, educates them, and entertains them. On the other hand, toys invite children to imagine, invent, and engage with the real world. The two can coexist, and the film really dives into that message of coexistence very well.
Even more so, the quality of the story, the animation, the music, and the performances are consistent throughout the years. You will find yourself appreciating the film’s simple ways of honoring the past installments, and you might also find yourself laughing at all the toilet jokes (shoutout to Conan O’Brien’s Smarty Pants) and crying at certain moments because, beyond the importance of play, it is a film that comforts you about love and loss. Needless to say, it is surprising that it is still good and still effective even after all these years.
All in all, my skepticism is put at ease after watching Toy Story 5. This franchise still has things to say about play, toys, and children. It’s a quality film. But a part of me wishes this were the last one. I love this franchise, and five banger films is a miracle. At this point, I am more worried than excited about a Toy Story 6, because it would devastate me to see Pixar fumble it. So my plea is simple: please, let this be the end.
4/5
Now showing in cinemas.