Film Review - Toy Story 5
Images courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.
Another Disney sequel, and on top of that another Toy Story movie. Like many, I was firmly in the camp that the ending of Toy Story 3 was a suitable send off for the Toys. The addition of the fourth movie while not a bad film didn’t feel like it added much overall to the franchise. It reiterated that three movies was enough. Despite the low expectations going into Toy Story 5 it was a pleasant surprise that this entry turned out to be a worthy addition and thoroughly enjoyable ride.
Toy Story 5 explores how Toys survive in the age of technology where kids are building friendships and spending the majority of their time online. This is underpinned when Bonnie – the Toys’ owner – struggles to make friends as she is the only one in the neighbourhood without a smart device. The dynamic changes when her parents get her Lilypad (Greta Lee) – the in-universe equivalent of a Leapfrog – who overtakes Bonnie’s attention. Led by Jessie, the Toys lead a fight against the new devices as they try to stay relevant in a world that has forgotten them.
The film changes things up by focusing on Jessie the Yodelling Cowgirl (Joan Cusack) as the main protagonist instead of Woody or Buzz. They take on a more supportive role which was a good decision as their character arcs have already been thoroughly covered in the previous entries. Toy Story 5 explores Jessie’s heartbreak and fear of abandonment stemming from her previous owner which ties in with the main plot of the Toys trying to stay relevant in the age of technology. The original Toys also make a return however they aren’t given much screen time as they need to accommodate a new batch of characters. This might disappoint some fans as even Woody and Buzz have much smaller roles compared to the previous entries but the new characters such as Lilypad and Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien) are great additions to the franchise, Lilypad being a unique antagonist by doing what she thinks is best for Bonnie and Smarty Pants adding great comedic relief.
What was a great surprise were the themes the movie explores. From the very start Toy Story 5 is not subtle about technology and its impact on kids today, but the film doesn’t just leave it at that. For the Toys, it builds upon the messaging in the earlier films around accepting that one day the children will move on from them when they get older but also recognising the impact they have on their owners lives. They may only be around for a short time but the children will have those memories forever. And for the kids there is great messaging about not only making friends but making the right friends that fit your personality. When Bonnie starts to fit in with the kids she has been trying to befriend, it starts to become apparent that it is not a healthy relationship that she has with them. With Jessie as the lead, the Toys make their mission to not only still be relevant to Bonnie but to also find her a friend that matches her personality.
Toy Story 5 is a fantastic ride and great addition to the franchise. It’s a significant improvement over the fourth entry, matches some of the highs of the original three films and is definitely worth checking out in cinemas.
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Toy Story 5 is screening in cinemas from Thursday the 18th of June. For tickets and more info, click here.