Toy Story 4 (2019) Movie Review
Toy Story 4 (2019) Movie Review
I take Toy Story more seriously than most movies. If I hear someone making jokes about Toy Story, saying negative things about Toy Story, or disrespecting the legacy that Toy Story has left behind in any way, I try my hardest to put them in their place. Some people have taken issue with how personally I take everything related to these childrens’ movies, but I can’t help it. The Toy Story movies and all the characters – Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, etc. – are deeply rooted in my subconscious. Not only do I hold these things very closely to my heart, but if you told me to stop caring about Toy Story, I don’t think I could if I tried. If I had to choose one thing to define my early childhood, it would be the Toy Story franchise without a doubt. I watched the DVDs of all three of those movies endlessly, had my own replicas of the toys in the movies, and dressed up as Woody for Halloween one year. The opening credits to the original are, like, burned into my brain. Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” is one of my favorite songs of all time. Toy Story is one of the only movies made for little kids that I still cite today, as a teenager, as one of my favorite films of all time. Do y’all realize that it is one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever crafted? If you think you’re too cool for Toy Story, too tough for Toy Story, too old for Toy Story, you’re wrong. You think you’re too old for perfection? ’Cause I’m not.
When Toy Story 3 came out nine years ago in 2010, it seemed like a fitting conclusion to the series. There didn’t need to be another one. For years and years, talk of a sequel didn’t even happen, because everybody thought they knew that the franchise had ended. And everyone was fine with that, because it had ended on such a high note. Even though Toy Story was one of my favorite series, I didn’t feel the need for another installment. So in 2018 when it was announced that they were making a fourth movie, I was upset. I didn’t want some dumb cash grab to ruin the perfection of the Toy Story trilogy. And when I say perfection, I MEAN that. Those are perfect movies. You want to see a flawless film? Go watch the first Toy Story. So yeah, I was super worried that Toy Story 4 would leave a big gash in my childhood. Now it’s released. And I am SO relieved and happy to tell you that this movie is really amazing. It’s not perfect but I am happy that it was released. Does it need to exist? No. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t incredible.
In Toy Story 4, the gang of toys are all fairly happy living with Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw)… except Woody (Tom Hanks), who feels somewhat neglected and thinks back to his glory days playing with Andy. The other toys try to cheer him up, but he can’t seem to get Andy off his mind. Nevertheless, Woody remains faithful to Bonnie, and when she is afraid to start kindergarten, he tries his hardest to help her (without her knowing, of course). At kindergarten orientation day, Bonnie makes a new toy out of miscellaneous materials and names it Forky. Forky (Tony Hale), just like any other toy, comes to life, but can’t seem to accept his existence as a toy, and prefers to think of himself as literal trash. Woody becomes like a big brother and mentor to Forky, helping him understand that Bonnie is very attached to him. But this isn’t before Forky jumps out of the family RV on a road trip. This starts the main plot of the movie, where Woody and Forky have to figure out how to find their way back to Bonnie’s RV and the other toys. Along the way, they come across Woody’s old friend Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and a collection of other new toys to the franchise, including Lotso-reminiscent doll Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), self-doubting stuntman figurine Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves), and a pair of smart-mouthed stuffed animals, Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key) and Bunny (Jordan Peele).
The story is very well-crafted, and I’m impressed that they could pull off something this great under all the pressure from fans. I knew deep down that Pixar wouldn’t mess this up, but I was still relieved to see how good of a movie this is. The relationships between Woody and Forky, Woody and Bo Peep, and Woody and the other toys are fully fleshed out. Woody in this series has become the equivalent of Iron Man in Marvel movies – he’s been there the entire time, his character arc growing and growing all the while. There isn’t as much of a focus on some of the other toys this time, and characters like Buzz (Tim Allen) and Jessie (Joan Cusack) aren’t given too much screen time. This is okay though, partly because this movie does a good job of not involving too many subplots, and also because some of their voices are sounding older at this point (noticeably Tom Hanks, Joan Cusack, and Tim Allen). This gives more time for Woody’s growth with Forky and Bo Peep.
I will say that there isn’t actually a lot of movement in this movie, meaning that a lot of the plot takes place in just a few places, with the majority of the second act occurring in just one building. At some point I was kind of wanting the plot to move along a little faster. So many trials and tribulations inside of this one little antique shop. The antique shop has a somewhat claustrophobic vibe, and combined with the movie’s slight horror element (!), it can feel a little like Alien or Shaun of the Dead at times. One of my favorite things about this movie is how it refuses to play it safe. It’s fairly unpredictable, and sometimes things can get pretty surprising. If you’re walking into Toy Story 4 expecting a big silly laugh-fest with no real character development, then you’re going to be thrown for a loop when you see what it’s actually like. That’s not to say it’s not funny, which it definitely is. There were plenty of times when I laughed out loud. But the humor isn’t just cheap slapstick; even if the jokes are loud or energetic, it never feels dumb. It never feels like a waste of time. Speaking of time, this movie is only 90 minutes long. I didn’t know how long it was when I walked in, but I guess I was expecting something more lengthy because I was slightly surprised when the credits started to roll. It’s not necessarily a bad thing that this movie is short, but now that I think of it, it wouldn’t have hurt to add on a couple minutes to beef things up a little.
Safety chart:
Violence: 3.5/10 - It’s a G-rated movie so there isn’t gonna be too much violence although there is slightly more than you might assume. There are cartoonish depictions of destruction and panic. There are also ventriloquist dummies that are portrayed in a menacing way that could potentially scare little kids.
Language: 1/10 - Non-profane insults. “Shoots and ladders,” says Woody, with an extra emphasis on the “sh.”
Drinking/smoking: 1/10 - A glass of wine is shown but there’s pretty much nothing.
Toy Story 4 is a must-see movie for anyone who has enjoyed the series before or who likes a good movie in general. It’s the result of years of planning and hard work, and all of that pays off. This movie is absolutely beautiful, appearance-wise and emotionally. Its animation is practically flawless; every frame is rich with movement and detail. Everyone involved did a fantastic job. The writing, visuals, and direction are all superb. I don’t have many criticisms, but the ones I do have are overshadowed by everything great about this movie. As a grade I’m giving Toy Story 4 an A+. It’s not quite as magical as the first three movies in the franchise, but it still left me completely satisfied and more. Realistically, I couldn’t have asked for a much better sequel to the virtual representation of my early childhood.
