Toy Story 5 is the Fifth Toy Story Movie
We were always going to get another Toy Story movie. It’s one of Pixar’s moneymakers, and Disney loves to make said money. I’m not opposed to new entries in any film series so long as they prove themselves to be worthy of existing, to tell a story that needs to be told. Toy Story 5 does explore a fascinating new angle for the franchise, but at times it does feel like too little too late.
Toy Story 5 explores the dichotomy of how toys clash and play along with the one-size-fits-all daily life technology that seems to be incorporated in just about every household. This keeps the film grounded in reality to an extent, but I did still feel its presence lacking in a few areas. Sure, the seven-year gap between this and Toy Story 4 was not nearly as long as the eleven-year gap between Toy Story 2 and 3, but I feel like the passage of time needs to be explored a bit more than it has been with Bonnie’s storyline.
In the first three films, we watch Andy grow and change and how his toys adapt and shift in regards to that. Bonnie comparatively has felt a bit more one-note to me, however old she’s been in any of her three films just kind of blends together for me. I do think this new film marks the biggest shift in her personality and priorities throughout those three films, and Toy Story is, in fairness, supposed to follow the growth of the toys themselves while the kid who plays with them usually complements that. I think I just wished they did more with the passage of time like what was done between Toy Story 2 and 3.
My main problem with the toys’ narrative itself stems from how much some of these characters feel they can still develop. Jessie’s entire storyline in this movie was fantastic. Joan Cusack nailed the role as always, and the revelation the cowgirl comes to about her first owner moved me in the same way every Toy Story manages to. While it’s a new perspective for her to explore on an old piece of her history, I felt like most of the other protagonists the film followed lacked that kind of depth in their storylines. It’s cool Buzz and Jessie finally kissed, but it didn’t feel like there was a steady rhythm or buildup to Buzz’s confession throughout the film other than stumbling over his words, almost saying how he feels, then bailing. Rinse and repeat.
I guess I’m obligated to mention the filmmakers seem aware of this with Woody at least. Acknowledging his age and addressing his dissonance with the shifting world around him, it’s a cute enough way of reiterating his newfound purpose as of Toy Story 4 and shift in priorities as his own character. His exit in the film, though, felt unceremonious at best. In the fourth film it did leave this genuine feeling that we’d be leaving Woody behind to start a new chapter. Not only does he show up here like nothing happened and like they’d have no issue tracking him down so far from Bonnie’s home, but he drives away with Bo Peep like it’s just another day and we’ll see them again before we know it. This is not the tone Toy Story 3 and 4 set with their endings, but in fairness this may just be for the best if and when Toy Story 6 shows itself. I think if this movie ended on that note and then we saw everyone together again, again, again, AGAIN, I’d completely lose faith in wherever they’re taking this story.
Why can’t Randy Newman score more Pixar movies? Like, as many of them as he used to? If I had to pick a consistent factor in the franchise’s success, it’s the composition he brings with every note. I rewatched the first two movies going into this, and even when I was EXPECTING them to bring in the “When She Loved Me” motif it moved me just as much as when I first heard it.
I know this review is all over the place, but it’s fitting enough for what kind of tone this installment has. After five films, over thirty years, it does start to get a little tiring. It’s really obvious when a character both runs out of things to do and yet has to do something in the plot, no matter how pointless or unimportant by comparison to those who actually warrant exploration. At the same time, the film looks great, the new character designs shine like they always have, and the soundscape is dazzling. It’s a good Toy Story movie, but I feel like that’s exactly what I thought about the last Toy Story. I want to walk away from a film in this series knowing what it meant to me, that it was a movie unlike any I’ve seen before, including previous installments in the series. This one didn’t quite do that, but it was still good. Just good.
Toy Story 5 is now playing in theaters worldwide. If you’re in the mood for more animation, check out K-9 World Cup on our sister site, Galxy!