A wonderful surprise.

Rating: 9/10 (27 June 2019)

When it comes to beloved franchises, very rarely do fourth instalments stick the landing, let alone deserve an existence. Occasionally, some break free from the mould of disappointment and successfully win the hearts of audiences. Suffice it to say, the announcement of a fourth Toy Story made me incredibly anxious. Toy Story 3 (2010) concluded the trilogy perfectly, and I was adamant that a fourth chapter would taint the franchises excellent track record. Two years have passed since Andy donated his beloved toys to Bonnie. Although all appears well, Woody (Hanks) struggles to find his place in a world without Andy, and often mistakes Bonnie's name for Andy's under moments of pressure. A crucial aspect of Woody's pride were his talents for leadership and authority, but those days are far behind him. On Bonnie's first day of Kindergarten, she constructs a makeshift toy named Forky (Tony Hale) out of a spork, googly eyes and broken sticks. Much to Woody's surprise, Forky is magically brought to life, only to plunge immediately into an existential crisis, resulting in Woody striving to teach him the great significance of what it means to be a toy.
Within minutes of Toy Story 4 I was completely swept away, and all my apprehensions about the film were vanquished. Pixar have made stunning leaps and bounds with their animation, and this is without a doubt the most beautiful looking film of their repertoire to date. This heart-warming fourth chapter doesn't just focus on the humorous existential woes of a spork, but also reintroduces Bo Peep (Potts) into the fold, who was given away by Andy's little sister nine years ago. Bo was never a fan favourite, but Toy Story 4 makes sure to rectify this by reinventing the once one dimensional character entirely by finally awarding her with character depth. The dynamic shared between Woody and Bo is one of the films greatest strengths, because this time their relationship is something much more substantial than what we've seen so far in the previous films, and it's absolutely wonderful to watch. There are plenty of new introductions, too. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are hilarious as Ducky and Bunny, two plushie carnival prizes waiting to be won by a potential owner. They're witty and absolutely bonkers, effortlessly stealing every scene they're in. Keanu Reeves features as Canadian stunt-man Duke Caboom, although his role is fairly minimal. I had my concerns about Forky heading into this film, fearing that he would be overbearingly annoying, but thankfully, Forky is an oddly charming addition to the franchise.
Elements of horror have been largely absent from the Toy Story franchise ever since Sid's cannibalised toys wreaked havoc across the nightmare child's back garden in the 1995 original film. Folsom and Stanton's script reintroduces aspects of horror to the series in the form of Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), a 1950's doll who isn't as friendly as she appears on the surface, as well as her creepy ventriloquist dummy henchmen. Much of the film takes place in an antique store, which allows for some effective moments of Goosebumps level chills.
At the very heart of the film is the universal theme of belonging. The Toy Story franchise has always spoken to both children and adults, and Toy Story 4 is no exception. It's a truly heart-warming and entertaining film that delivers a beautiful conclusion to the series, and I was relieved that Pixar managed to pull it off in the way that they did.