An inessential, but incredibly entertaining fourth entry of an all-time great movie series

Rating: Null/10 (22 June 2019)

Toy Story 4 - yep, you read that right - is finally here. The sequel nobody asked for comes 9 long years after the 3rd, 20 after the 2nd and 24 after the original. Fourth instalments can be risky business, and the question remains if Pixar can make one without tarnishing childhood memories and a concept that worked 3 times in a row.
Leave any concerns at the door. While it feels like an offshoot in comparision to the original trilogy, the surprising part of this third sequel is how well it works. It's same-old same-old, exactly how it should be, but the filmmakers have triumphantly brought the series back to life without it looking like a fluke. It cooks up everything you could possibly want from a Toy Story film, nothing more, nothing less.
The plot continues years after Andy gives his childhood toys to Bonnie before going off to college. A sensitive new toy Forky joins the gang as Bonnie and her parents embark on a holiday, which goes in another direction. Woody, ending up at an amusement park while on the way, bumps into Bo Peep as a completely different person. She has a confident and warrior type of personality compared to what she was like previously. It's an intriguing piece of character development that Pixar has rarely attempted to do.
In nearly a decade of development, screenwriters Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom have mostly succeeded at reviving the humour and character moments that have made the series so memorable. They tell a story that repeats the franchise's old school tropes without them feeling stale, and the addition of Forky makes all the difference. His dialogue scenes with Woody alongside the overarching theme of existentialism create a sense of freshness in the formula. These small inclusions are what the film required, in order to stand out.
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the ensemble cast work hard with the material they are given. The latest members of the voice cast are nothing short of brilliant. 20 years after The Matrix, Keanu Reeves reinvents himself once again as Duke Kaboom, a voice role he was born to play. Keegan Michael-Key and Get Out director Jordan Peele have tons of fun voicing Ducky and Bunny, bantering with one another as if they're dressed up as their characters on stage. They have such great chemistry that many would hope that they get a spin-off TV show together someday. The newbies are franchise characters you never knew you needed, and who knows what Pixar will do with them in the future.
Prepared to be wowed by the animation, as it takes the divisive 'uncanny valley' effect to the next level. Though this isn't stop motion animation, it's a perfect example of how computer animation can smash through the surreal window towards reality. Unlike many computer animated films of the past few years, every shot looks like a painting, with each object in the frame designed and textured flawlessly. It definitely shows how far we've come since Toy Story invented CGI animation back in 1995. It even looks better than the CGI used in many live action films, and that's saying something.
Toy Story 4 is not the best of the series. A portion of the original characters aren't given very much to do throughout the runtime, in favour of focusing on the new ones. The villain, without spoiling anything, lacks the menacing characterisations of Sid, Stinky Pete and Lotso. This ultimately makes for a Toy Story instalment with something unheard of: a low-stakes storyline.
Despite the script issues, this is a damn good sequel, and a nostalgic treat for those who grew up with these characters. It doesn't have the emotional weight and rich storytelling of its predecessor, but it makes up for that with pure popcorn entertainment.
Woody at some point mentions that, "You can teach an old toy new tricks." When it comes to a third sequel, this is exactly what it sets out to do, and thankfully succeeds.