Film Review - Toy Story 4 (U)

You can't teach this old toy new tricks.

Was anyone delighted when Toy Story 4 was announced, or were we all thinking that Pixar should have left well alone? They had created that rarity after all, an immaculately crafted trilogy of stories, one in which each successive entry builds imaginatively on what's gone before. It all resolved in such a satisfying fashion too, with Andy's toys surviving near-incineration and receiving a new lease of life with Bonnie the little girl next door. 4 didn't even feature on my 'Most Anticipated' list for 2019, because frankly the thought of it made my heart sink. Don't risk your legacy for a cash grab, was my instinctive response. And should Pixar have taken that rubbish advice, we'd have missed out on a truly magical fourth episode.

The loose ends may have been tied up regarding Andy's toys as a whole, but for Sheriff Woody it's a different story. Accustomed to his role as team organiser, he finds himself relegated in Bonnie's girlish affections and in the play-room pecking order. He finds a new sense of purpose when the youngster creates a toy from a plastic spork and other assorted trash on her kindergarten orientation day. The newly conscious 'Forky' is a walking existential crisis, ready to consign himself to the bin. Woody, however, makes it his mission to integrate the confused fellow into the group, while persuading him of his importance as Bonnie's new favourite toy. But then a family road trip pitches Woody back into frantic adventure, confronting him with some tough existential questions of his own.

See that's the kind of depth that marks out the Toy Story franchise, never mind its visual quality. By now the series' cutting-edge technical aspects are a given. As the first feature to be entirely computer-animated, 1995's original was ground-breaking, and each successive entry has served as a new benchmark for industry quality. 4 is no exception, consistently pushing back the frontiers of photo-realistic animation. Whether it's the rush of water in a storm drain, the reflective surfaces of a crammed antiques store or the luminescence of a night-time funfair, you only have to stare at those detailed vistas to be entertained. And that's saying nothing about the wealth of high-octane, toy-related action on display, all of it ingeniously captured by first-time feature director Josh Cooley.

But it's the deep-seated sense of humanity that has always given this series its resonance. Previous Toy Story movies have dealt with loyalty, friendship and family, before going for broke and getting stuck into universal fears of abandonment, obsolescence and mortality. (If you think I'm over-egging things here, go re-watch the first three and feel the grown-up chills.) 4 goes full-on philosophical through Forky's struggles with meaning and self-worth, before considering via Woody how we're sometimes forced to redefine our whole existence. What's this film all about then? Nothing short of the entire human condition.

And if that makes it sound too earnest and serious, trust me it's not. Toy Story 4 is a blast from start to finish - both thrilling and wonderfully funny. The old guard raise plenty of smiles (Tom Hanks' voice-work as Woody is always a delight and Buzz's role includes one great recurring gag), but it's the newcomers who deliver the most hilarity. Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep) brings naive charm and pathos to Forky, while one-time TV double-act Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele enjoy a triumphant reunion as not-so-street-smart plush-toys Ducky and Bunny. And if you think Keanu Reeves is impressive as John Wick, wait till you hear him as Canada's greatest stuntman, motor-cycling daredevil - with a surprisingly fragile heart - Duke Caboom. 

Throw in one very unusual antagonist with potentially child-terrifying henchmen and the empowered return of someone we haven't seen since 2 (and didn't realise we'd missed so much), and Toy Story 4 jostles with so many great characters, it's a wonder it can contain them all. Inevitably some favourites take a background role, but it's all in the name of balancing the nostalgia factor with fresh ideas. Other sequel-makers should be so wise.

Basically this film has all the technical prowess you'd expect, along with the brain, the heart and the humour you might have feared would be lacking. So if like me you considered 3 an ideal wrap and that anything more would be an unnecessary franchise-flogging, prepare to be proved wrong - and in the most glorious way. There was one more Toy Story to be told, and those clever people at Pixar had the wisdom to see it. 

Now lay it to rest, guys, and be proud. Your work here is most definitely done.

Gut Reaction: Warmth, reassurance, laughter - and tearing up for one complex bunch of reasons.

Memorable Moment: Woody's reunion with an old friend - so perfectly judged it took my breath.

Ed's Verdict: 9.5/10. Superbly executed on every level, Toy Story 4 consigns your cynicism to the trash and lands you squarely back in the toy-box. An undiluted source of joy.