By. Luke Durling
(Spoiler Free)
I’m not going to lie. I was nervous about this one. Luckily, my fears were squandered within the first 5 minutes.
Now, is the fourth installment the best iteration? No. Is it a solid entry that deserves to exist and worth the attention and praise? Absolutely.
As in any Pixar film, there are Easter eggs and hidden things to find in the background. However, Toy Story 4 does this to such a degree that it feels like perfect fan service for those who are die hard about Pixar and/or animation.It seems like a culmination of Pixar’s history is hidden in plain sight. You’re going to want to see it multiple times just for this aspect alone, if you’re into that kind of thing.
But details are not only cryptic callbacks, they are also beautiful. Toy Story 4 has the best visuals and animation of any entry that the franchise ever had. The lighting is gorgeous and the models look crisper than ever. While Toy Story 3 looked similar, I think the level of detail has still improved quite a bit. When it comes to animation quality, Pixar just keeps getting better and better.
While we’re on the subject, bring some tissues. I know it might sound crazy, but you are bound to at least consider crying at one point or another in the movie. You might see what’s coming from a mile away, but that doesn’t really take away the sting of the punches the movie throws at you .
As far as the story goes, the film is a bit too Woody-centric for me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, Woody makes this film as strong as it is. He’s the defining factor after all. However, the other films played with the other characters in the gang quite a bit more and with quite a bit more success. My personal favorite, Buzz, is somewhat bumbling and uninspired, despite having a strong finish.
Don’t think that this movie has no character or heart, though. It has it in droves. The new characters are so enjoyable and funny that they seem very human and real. Nowhere is this more evident than in Forky. This simple character is so endearing and fun that it is so easy to love and relate to the plastic protagonist. Pixar has managed to take a comic relief/maguffin-like character and make him seem larger than life. Forky seems to capture the weird and wacky existential pains that many of us have at one point or another. No other character is quite like Forky.
Also, I love Gabby Gabby. The main antagonist is simply so deep and rich that it’s almost surreal. She is the perfect antagonist for this chapter. Despite being manipulative and a bit selfish, her motives are pure and her arc showcases a fundamental factor of human nature. Feel like discussing further would be a slight spoiler, so go experience it for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.
Duke Kaboom is a pure pleasure to watch. His over-the-top performance by Keanu Reeves showcases a comic relief character that is charming and fleshed out. While I would argue that Forky just has a bit of an edge over Kaboom character wise, “The Greatest Daredevil in Canada” shines bright.
In contrast, Jordan Peele and Keegan Micheal-Key’s Ducky and Bunny are pure comic relief, plain and simple. Don’t get me wrong, I laughed so hard multiple times when they were on screen, but they seemed to be the very least developed pair of the entire film. I feel like they added something that would have otherwise been lost, but I feel as though their presence was mainly to sell the actual toys that are no doubt being sold. It’s simular to the Star Wars porg approach, but 10 times more acceptable. Infinitely better than the Minions as well.
Bo Peep is also a great character. She’s a perfect foil to Woody while still being similar enough to warrant s solid romance story. However, I feel like I wanted just a bit more time with her. Her story sounded so intriguing that I was surprised when they didn’t show us any of it. I don’t really want a full picture. Just a few spare images to help the audience better understand would have been nice. There was a lot of potential that I feel was minimally overshadowed by time constraints.
In fact, I feel like that is the film’s main flaw; the time constraints. There is simply too many great plots and characters to explore and address that it comes across as slightly rushed. While everything is indeed successful and enjoyable, there are certain aspects that tend to close just a tad bit quick. I’m proud to call this a cinematic success that deserves the mantle of “classic” status, I am also aware that Toy Story 4 is not perfect. It could never be perfect simply because life itself could not contain it. I think I am okay with that.
FINAL GRADE: A
Calm and Cultured 