The
original Toy Story was a
landmark film, both for Disney Pixar and for animation in general.
Now the fourth installment in the beloved franchise is possibly one of
the most highly anticipated films of the year. It is clear that the
films' aim was to make the series feel 'fresh' and new again, with
Woody and the gang belonging to a different child, and befriending a
number of new and exciting characters. But despite the new additions
to this film it still feels very much the same as the previous films,
with the story being about Woody adjusting to his new life with
Bonnie and adjusting his thoughts on what it means to be a toy.
Woody's
existential crisis comes about when he is relegated to the cupboard,
no longer a favourite toy. Bonnie's new favourite is a friend that
she has made, Forky, a spork. Voiced by Tony Hale, the character is
an excellent addition to the cast and is extremely expressive with
his pipe-cleaner arms and googly eyes. Having been made from things
that were thrown away, he is equally confused about what it means to
be a toy and often refers to himself as 'trash'. He is one of the
most amusing parts of the film and a character that had a lot of
potential. However his personal story seems rushed, and is almost
over before it begins in favour of turning the spotlight back on
Woody. The film adds many interesting new characters like Forky, but
makes the mistake of not paying them enough attention. Although this
film essentially follows a new chapter in Woody's story, this just
feels like a missed opportunity to explore the great new characters
that were introduced.
Another
prominent character in the film is Bo Peep, who was missing from Toy
Story 3. What happened to her is
explained in the very opening scene of the film, and whilst this is
an exciting scene it feels disjointed from the rest of the first
twenty minutes or so. It seems like something that should have been
part of a previous film, or placed in a later part of this one. As it
is, it comes off as a hurried explanation of Bo's backstory before
the main narrative starts. However, Bo's inclusion in this installment and the changes she has undergone make up some of the better parts of
the film. Once a simple love interest, the Bo that Woody rediscovers
is independent, fun-loving and adventurous. She can not only take
care of herself, but ends up also providing guidance for Woody
throughout the film. It's through her ingenuity and the new friends
that she has made that some of the most fun and adventurous scenes in
the film take place. She brightens up the whole film and whilst this
is yet another old character being given more attention than others,
the progression that she has gone through makes her seem completely
different and exciting. Her representation is clearly deliberately
more progressive, but regrettably there is a lingering sense of her
being merely a love interest, and the ending doesn't necessarily
prove to be a progressive for Bo as the rest of the film.
Overall
this new Toy Story doesn't
feel all that new. There are some excellent additions to the cast and
the old favourites have some really great and funny moments. It's
just unfortunate that quite often they seemed to have been sidelined.
This is however a fun adventure that follows the same formula as the
previous films. If you're a fan you'll surely enjoy it.
