The Toy Story films have been the crown jewel for Pixar, with the original 1995 film not only being the studio’s first feature length film, but the first fully computer animated film ever made. After the emotional sledgehammer that was Toy Story 3, which saw Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang saying goodbye to their owner Andy as he headed off to college and the toys finding a new home with young Bonnie, the franchise returned after a nine year absence with Toy Story 4. That film, which many, including myself, were skeptical of, proved to be just as emotionally profound and dazzling as the previous entries. Like the third film, Toy Story 4 concluded on a bittersweet note that didn’t necessarily call for another installment, but money talks and the fourth installment grossed over $1 billion at the box office. Fast forward seven years and the fifth installment in the beloved franchise has returned with a new film that, despite another round of skepticism, once again proves its worth. And while the newest film isn’t able to match its predecessors, it still continues the franchise’s robust winning streak.
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Tech has taken over the attention spans of children everywhere. Toys are becoming obsolete in the modern era, leaving Jessie (Joan Cusack), Buzz (Tim Allen) and the rest of the toys to scramble to figure out how to keep Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) from throwing them in the garage to collect dust. The timid Bonnie is having trouble making friends, so her parents buy her a brand new tablet called Lilypad (Greta Lee) to help her connect with kids in her class. Immediately, Bonnie is infatuated with her new tablet, draining her of her spirited sense of imagination and playfulness. Fearing that they’re losing their kid to the latest technology, Jessie contacts Woody (Tom Hanks) to help them keep Bonnie from becoming completely zombified. As Woody makes his return, Jessie and Bullseye follow Bonnie to a sleepover where they wind up stranded on a familiar ranch where they end up in the presence of another spirited young girl named Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris). Jessie finds that Blaze, who is the same age as Bonnie, still loves playing with toys, despite old devices such as Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien) — a worn-down gadget shaped like a toilet paper roll who helps children train to use the potty, and Atlas (Craig Robinson), a compass for small children, falling by the wayside. What ensues is another journey/chase to get home to their owner before it’s too late.
Directed by WALL-E and Finding Nemo helmer Andrew Stanton, Toy Story 5 is another strong addition to the Toy Story franchise even if it pales in comparison to the heights of the first three films, and even the fourth. This newest film is emboldened by a rather ingenious premise that directly tackles the current state of adolescence and the ever-increasing fears of the technological influence on impressionable youth. The script, penned by Stanton and Kenna Harris, is both pointed and quite thoughtful in how it explores these themes without feeling heavy handed. Lilypad is not made out to be another evil villain, but another new toy who thinks is looking out for Bonnie’s best interests. Greta Lee’s vocal work is strong, never leaning too heavily into villainous territory, but rather a smug, condescending new toy who looks down on the “elderly” toys. The filmmakers find a satisfying character arc for the tablet that feels earned and intelligent.
The first act can feel a bit chaotic as the focus jumps around between toys and characters before settling down once the narrative thrust kicks in. Jessie is the film’s central character, with Buzz and especially Woody taking a backseat. Jessie’s history with her past owner Emily — one of the more famously devastating moments in the franchise — ends up informing where this newest film takes her storyline. Joan Cusack gives her finest voice work to date here, as Jessie navigates the threat of being set aside yet again for the the latest technological advancement. Cusack brings an emotional frailty to Jessie that seamlessly tugs on the heartstrings.
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Conan O’Brien — one of the funniest people to ever walk the planet — steals the movie as Smarty Pants. O’Brien’s comedic timing and infectious energy adds a great deal of personality and charm to the film. In his introduction, Jessie finds him buried away in a small doll house in the woods with very low battery life. In this film, whenever a toy or gadget hits a low battery, they speak and act as if they’re drunk, leading to often hilarious results. Supporting characters such as Rex (Wallace Shawn), Slinky (Blake Clark), Mr. Potato Head (Jeff Bergman, stepping in for the late Don Rickles) and the previous film’s breakout Forky (Tony Hale) are all given limited screen time and are relegated to largely background characters.
For as insightful and sharp as Toy Story 5 is, it does lack the storytelling finesse and emotional strength of the previous films. A subplot involving a shipping container full of newly-upgraded Buzz Lightyear toys whiffs of reheated leftovers from Toy Story 2 and feels disjointed from the rest of the film. The climax does incorporate the army of Lightyears in a clever fashion, but most everything up until then feels like filler.
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It’s hard to be disappointed in a film that’s as good as Toy Story 5 but given the airtight consistency of the first four films, this latest entry is a step down in overall quality. That said, director Andrew Stanton delivers a smart, funny and heartfelt new film that continues the franchise’s streak of imaginative storytelling and emotional depth. The weakest Toy Story film is still better than a majority of films released in any given year and Toy Story 5 is by all accounts a must-see film for all ages.
Toy Story 5 is now playing in theaters.
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