Lightyear — Movie Review
by KJ Proulx
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures]
The Toy Story franchise is one that’s incredibly close to my heart. I grew up watching the films repeatedly, and I was very close to the age Andy was when Toy Story 3 came out, which hit home as well. When I heard about this film being in development and that Tim Allen wouldn’t be voicing him, I was nothing but surprised and curious what they were doing. While this film isn’t nearly as masterful as the Toy Story films or even comparable/connected to them in any way, shape or form, I had a blast watching it and was emotionally invested from start to finish. If you can go into this film knowing it has nothing to do with Toy Story (for the most part), I think you’ll at least like this as a Disney/Pixar, Space Adventure flick, as I did.
Lightyear follows space ranger Buzz Lightyear, as his ship and crew are stranded on a planet after a poor decision on his part. Trying to discover how to successfully accomplish light speed in order to return home, many realizations come to light. With the looming presence of a fleet of robots, commanded by another robot called Zurg, time is not on Buzz’s side. This simple premise has so much more to it, especially throughout the first act, and I ate up every bit of it. The storytelling throughout the first act brought me to tears, in ways other films with similar story beats have failed to do.
I will get a major complaint I have about this film out of the way though. There is a plot twist towards the end of this film that I very much liked and it fit with this film on its own, but it’s something that if you were to actually sit back and think about the second Toy Story film, it would make no sense at all. I really liked the moment in the movie, but that was the one Toy Story connected that took me out of the movie. I also wish we could’ve learned a bit more about Buzz’s actual backstory, even though his character was still very likeable and entertaining here. This film is filled with lovable characters though, so that made up for it.
Where I can’t possibly rave about this film enough though, is in the fact that it straight up feels real at times. Not just the animation style, but the “Cinematography.” There were some genuinely beautiful moments of space imagery and not just for the sake of visuals. The visuals in this film complement this story very well. I honestly felt like I was watching a fun space adventure that just happened to be an animated film from Pixar. My eyes were glued to the screen out of pure enjoyment and from the visuals.
Overall, I believe that director Angus MacLane, along with his incredibly talented crew, has crafted a film that’s great for all ages. There are mature themes and dark moments for the Toy Story fans who have grown up, but even younger children who have yet to see the Toy Story films will find enjoyment here, especially with the addition of Buzz’s sidekick/robot companion Sox, who steals the show on multiple occasions (it kind of reminded me of Baymax from Big Hero 6 actually). I can see many viewers complaining about it not being a Toy Story film, but that’s not the point of this movie at all. There are things about this film that explain how it’s part of the Toy Story franchise, but at the same time, it can’t be viewed as a prequel or sequel to anything. I’m being vague because I don’t want to ruin what this film actually is. I had minor complaints here and there and the story is bits and pieces of so many things I’ve seen before, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I loved watching it. I thought Lightyear was very well done and I can’t wait to give it a second watch.
Rating: 4.5/5
Check out the trailer below:
