In 2010, it felt as though the “Toy Story” animated film series – begun in 1995 with the wonderful and groundbreaking “Toy Story” – had reached a richly satisfying conclusion with “Toy Story 3.”
And, yet, now we have “Toy Story 4,” made, like the others, by the creative force that is Disney subsidiary Pixar Animation Studios.
While we’re hesitant to accuse Pixar – whose absolutely terrific films include “The Incredibles,” “Finding Nemo,” WALL-E” and “Up” – of making an easy cash grab here, “Toy Story 4” feels, for a while, like myriad other sequels before it: wholly unnecessary.
Sure, it’s entertaining, but it doesn’t seem as though it’s going to get you, as they say, “in the feels” – at least not in the way a couple of its predecessors had.
Stick with it, though.
While it never reaches the heights of the first or third “Toy Story’s, “4” does tell a compelling tale about duty and loyalty but also about need and transition, right through its well-earned conclusion.
This “Story” begins with a prologue set on a rainy night nine years in the past, when Sheriff Woody (voiced warmly as always by Tom Hanks) and the other toys were still living with a boy named Andy. Before the night ends, a lamp and toys – Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and her sheep, Billy, Goat & Gruff (Emily Davis) – belonging to Andy’s sister, Molly, are given away, much to Woody’s disappointment. He has a chance to sneak into the box holding Bo and start a new life with her, but he feels his purpose is to be there for Andy.
Following a montage featuring the Randy Newman song so synonymous with the franchise, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” in which we are reminded that a college-age Andy gave his toys to a young girl named Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) in the previous film, we see the current state of play. Due to the demands of Bonnie’s mother, the girl’s toys typically ride out the night in her bedroom closet, desperately awaiting the moment in the morning when she will free them and play with them.
With increasing frequency, however, Woody has found himself among the toys left behind in the closet at that moment, cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) having become Bonnie’s preferred sheriff.
This morning, Bonnie will be heading to kindergarten orientation, which terrifies her, which in turn greatly concerns Woody. After Bonnie is told it’s against the rules to bring a toy with her to school, Woody stows away in her backpack to keep an eye on her.
It’s a good thing, too.
When it’s time for the kids to take part in a little art project, Bonnie sits alone, the shy girl unable to stop a boy from taking the supplies from her table. Annoyed, Woody springs into action, making a stealth run to a nearby trash can, from which he unearths a few disposed of supplies and other things. Among the items in the “other” category is a spork, which Bonnie proceeds to give sticks for feet, pipe-cleaner arms and facial features that include a pair of mismatched googly eyes.
His name is Forky, and she loves her creation.
The new “toy,” voiced with nervous gusto by Tony Hale (“Veep,” “Arrested Development”), unfortunately insists that he is trash and tries to throw himself away at every turn. Woody now takes on the task of keeping Forky out of the garbage and where Bonnie can get her loving hands on him whenever she needs.
“Oh, Chutes and Ladders!” Woody exclaims at one point when Forky makes a run for the refuse.
There’s some funny stuff here, but Woody has concluded – possibly correctly – that Forky is the key to Bonnie adjusting to the fast-approaching school year.
Woody’s real challenge with Forky comes during a family road trip in an RV, with Bonnie’s toys along for the journey.
When Forky escapes the vehicle, Woody goes after him, promising pal Buzz Lightyear (a funny-as-ever Tim Allen) he will meet up with the rest of the gang at the vacation spot.
(On the road with Forky, before starting to get through to him about what he means to Bonnie, Woody recounts the tale of how Buzz came into their lives. It’s also very funny.)
Although determined to fulfill his mission, Woody gets sidetracked at an antique store in town when he sees reason to believe an old friend may be there. However, inside he instead finds a doll, Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks of “Mad Men” fame), who seems sweet momentarily but obviously has nefarious intentions when it comes to the cowboy. (While Gabby Gabby isn’t quite creepy enough that you can skip the upcoming doll-powered horror flick “Annabelle Comes Home,” Gabby Gabby’s subservient army of antique Benson ventriloquist dummies may be.)
Also new to the fun of the “Toy Story” universe are failed Canadian motorcycle-riding daredevil toy Duke Caboom (“John Wick” star Keanu Reeves), the tiny-but-capable Giggle McDimples (Ally Maki of Freeform’s “Cloak & Dagger”) and pals Ducky and Bunny (voiced, respectively, by pals and “Key & Peele” co-stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, in a nice casting choice).
Buzz eventually joins the adventure, only after being inspired by Woody to listen to his “inner voice” – a running gag that works well.
That the story told in “Toy Story 4” eventually gets to a highly satisfying place isn’t that surprising considering it is co-written by Pixar heavyweight Andrew Stanton (with Stephany Folsom). There could be a fifth “Toy Story,” of course, but the pair’s script seems less concerned with maintaining the status quo than doing something meaningful.
While the direction from Josh Cooley is a bit uneven, that’s understandable considering this is feature-film directorial debut. He worked as the story supervisor, a writer and as a voice actor for Pixar’s “Inside Out” (2015) and then directed “Riley’s First Date?” – a short featuring the characters from “Inside Out.” He certainly shows promise.
More than promise is displayed by the visual artists of “Toy Story 4,” an incredible-looking film. OK, so most digitally animated films these days look fantastic – the just-released “The Secret Life of Pets 2” certainly does – but all you have to do is watch the trailer for the first “Toy Story” to see how far Pixar has come.
The animation house then was at the top of the mountain, and there it has stayed.
