With the release of Toy Story 3, Pixar had planned for that entry to be the finale to the franchise. In fact, Lee Unkrich, who directed the previous film, stated that they had no immediate plans for a fourth film. John Lasseter, the head of Pixar, further emphasized this point, until he, Lee, Andrew Stanton, and Pete Docter had ideas. Josh Cooley, the head of story on Inside Out, was hired to co-direct with Lasseter, but Lasseter willingly stepped down. Interestingly, Lasseter said in an interview with Variety, “we do not do any sequel because we want to print money.” When it came to doing voice-overs, both Tom Hanks and Tim Allen expressed how emotional and heartfelt the story was. While many of the original cast returned, sadly Don Rickles passed away in 2017, though they used previously recorded voice-overs. So, nine years later, we now have Toy Story 4.
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With Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) as their new kid, our favorite toys couldn’t be any happier, except for Woody (Tom Hanks). While he’s happy to be one of Bonnie’s toys, he starts being played with less and less overtime. Things change when she has to go to kindergarten orientation, and Woody decides to join her and keep her safe. During Arts & Crafts, she creates a makeshift toy out of a spork, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, and googly eyes. She names it Forky (Tony Hale), and he immediately starts going to the trash can, believing that he’s trash. It’s now Woody’s job to make sure Forky is safe since he means so much to Bonnie despite his objections. During a road trip, Forky ends up jumping out the back window, and Woody goes after him and rescue him. Along the way, they meet friends old and new, starting a new adventure.
When news of Toy Story 4 first surfaced, I was very skeptical, feeling that this all for the money. Fortunately, I’m happy to say that this is a phenomenal entry and one of the best animated films in years. First off, the animation is breathtaking, almost photorealistic at times, really showing just how far Pixar has come. Much of the returning cast, including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, and John Ratzenberger deliver solid performances. Though I was worried about him being annoying comic relief, I actually grew to love Forky as a new character. Another casting highlight are two plush toys named Ducky and Bunny, voiced respectively by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. Also, Keanu Reeves voices a Canadian stunt toy called Duke Kaboom, who steals the show with his Canadian puns. There honestly is no false note when it comes to the cast assembled here.
Toy Story 4’s central focus is the Woody and Forky’s relationship, similar to his relationship with Buzz in Toy Story. What makes it different is that Woody recognizes Forky’s importance and tries to help him rather than object to him. Another major plot element revolves around the return of Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and the romance with Woody from before. Not only is the romance sweet, but Bo Peep is greatly expanded upon, making her one of the biggest highlights. There is a somewhat central villain, a talking doll called Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), but she becomes more sympathetic. This film deals with some pretty heavy themes, such as finding one’s worth, clinging to the past, and self discovery. Toy Story 4 appeals to adults and kids of all ages. Overall, whether or not it’s the last, Toy Story 4 is still a great time for the whole family.
