TOY STORY 4 (2019) REVIEW (Spoiler Free)

Watched in: June 2019

Didn't like ▢ Alright ▢ Liked ✔︎ Loved ▢

Did I cry?: Teared up

Would I watch it again: Yes

Would I recommend?: Yes

Watchability: Easy

Watch with: Family ✔︎ Friends ▢ Self ▢

In June I watched Toy Story 4, dir. by Josh Cooley and starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. This film was the fourth and seemingly final film in the Toy Story franchise, distributed by Disney Pixar. This is what I thought...

Plot & Story

If you read my Most Anticipated Films of 2019 post you will know I was apprehensive about this film as I really wanted it to be good and on par with the other films in the franchise. The Toy Story films were massively important in getting Pixar on the map and they hold a special place in the hearts of kids big and small, so I really didn't want this one to let the side down. Thankfully, I don't think it did, and I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. I saw it as a combination of the first three films in its theming, with nods to the other films scattered about, like falling with style, Buzz's initial reaction to Pizza Planet X100 when he sees the carnival, themes of lost toys and the desire to be loved by multiple kids at a time. Because of this, it almost felt like a stand alone film and its really difficult to compare it to the other three because its just so different, in a good way. It's a weird one, because while you try to think of it as the finale, it still kind of feels like that's already happened in Toy Story 3, so this sequel seems a bit disjointed from it all.

I expected the film to be a lot more Forky-centric, but it isn't necessarily all about that. In fact, there's quite a lot going on throughout this film, which definitely keeps you entertained but does make you wonder if they're trying to do too much and tie too many ends up. I think certain things were overlooked, like Buzz and Jessie's relationship from number 3, and this could potentially be down to the sheer amount of story lines running at once. Saying that though, all the plot lines ran together, playing their part in the overall film, and they were certainly interesting to watch.

Characters & Performances

It was so nice to see all our old favourites back again, it felt like being reunited with lost toys of my own. However, some of our favourite characters get hardly any screen time, probably down to the storylines they had running, so they weren't able to be properly included. That was a shame to me, because I was hoping to see the gang come back together for one last adventure, and unfortunately that's not what I got. The new characters were fun though, Key and Peele delivering as we knew they would as Ducky and Bunny. It was what you would hope for from a Toy Story movie; a band of interesting and exciting characters helping each other on an adventure, however these were mainly new characters we didn't really know, so it felt just a little stale.

Saying that, the old characters we did get to see were just as brilliant as you remember. Woody was just being classic Woody, explaining to Forky why he is a toy and rescuing him when he's in trouble. There was a particular close-up shot of Woody after Bonnie was hugging Forky calling him her favourite, where Woody was frozen, in toy mode, but we knew exactly what he was thinking, and that all comes from brilliant character development over this franchise. Buzz, although a little quiet and off at the beginning for some reason, eventually comes into his own and we're blessed with his over the top dialogue and undying friendship again. And Bo Peep, who I was concerned about, as it seemed a bit odd to me when the trailer was released that she was going to be playing such an integral part. However her character was great, developing the bad-ass character we only got to see snippets of in previous films and making her into a strong, interesting character.

Direction & Cinematography

The animation really has come on massively since the first Toy Story and that really shows in this film. Some of the characters even look strange for a second before you realise its because they look so good. The progression in animation helps make the characters even more loveable and it was a joy to see them on the big screen again. Some of the animation almost seems wasted, as there were so many details and Easter eggs that 90% of people won't see. It will be a gift that keeps on giving, as you'll be able to find new stuff with every watch. It's just a lovely looking film, and as soon as they panned up to that wallpaper and played that song, I immediately forgot why I was ever worried about this film.

Personal Opinions

Although it does feel a bit cut off from the other films in the franchise, Toy Story 4 feels like a fitting conclusion and I think it was delight fans when they see it. I missed some old favourite characters, but the ones we did get to see were on top form, making me laugh and cry like they always used to, and the new characters were just as good. I think the ending will divide people, but that's for another post another day. All in all, it was just another wonderful Toy Story film, and it did right exactly what all the others did.

Final rating: ★★★★☆

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/

Did you enjoy Toy Story 4? Let me know down in the comments!

Stay tuned to find out what I thought of the ending.