Lacking some of Pixar's usual magic

Rating: 6/10 (2 July 2019)

Toy Story 4 is certainly a fourth installment of a franchise. Whether you believe this to be a good thing or a bad thing is up to your opinion of rehashed ideas and the merit of original ideas. While a fun watch, this film lacked a lot of the magic and world building, character development and interesting side characters that we are so used to in Toy Story films.
The world we are put into in this Toy Story film is unfortunately shallow. Where in previous films we saw a wealth of interesting locations that have their own magic in each of them, the scope of this film is far more narrow. We are introduced to the carnival quickly and that is our home for 75 minutes or this film. It felt like the grand aspirations of an interesting world were not realized at all. I kept waiting for the next act, the next stop in the road trip, but it never arrived. We are also not given nearly enough of some of our favorite characters, in favor of drab tired side characters who lack much purpose. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky and Hamm have little more than a cursory mention, and Buzz is left with little to do besides act dumb and provide a small bit of comedic relief.
And where was the tension? The fear? The subtle darkness that made the first few films so wide reaching in its entertainment. There was no Sid, no incinerator. Never was I afraid for these characters. It was too easy for them the whole time. I was never on the edge of my seat and wondering what might happen next.
The stars of this movie were the small toys who were unique and colorful. The Canadian Daredevil, our high-five craving soldiers and the psychopathic horse were the stars of this movie and got the biggest laughs. They are a testament to Pixar's ability to have fun in the peripherals without overshadowing the main cast.
And what more can be said about the animation that everyone hasn't said about Pixar a million times before? The effects were superb. It felt so real and lifelike and yet cartoonishly fun. The ability to make a fork who is sympathizable and relatable cannot be overstated. It's really the little details, the reflection of light off the water, the way a book falls off the shelf, or a lightbulb explodes when crashed into. These are where the magic happens.
Was this movie fun? Yes of course. Was it the weakest of the franchise? Also yes. It didn't hit all the notes we have become accustomed to in Pixar films. Bring your kids, they will love it. And see it if you're a Pixar and Disney nerd, but I won't be putting this one on my shelf for my future children to watch as they grow up.