I’m a couple weeks away from turning 34 years old. Even so, I couldn’t wait to hit the old cinema opening day for the release of the highly anticipated Toy Story 4. 

In a summer packed with franchise after franchise seemingly exhausting audiences because many of them don’t offer anything essential to the franchise, I had a tinge of worry in my toy-loving belly that maybe this fourth installment would fall well short of what I think is probably the best and most universally adored film trilogy of all-time. So did the film deliver on expectations? 

Of course it delivered. Pixar as a film studio is basically Usain Bolt (the track star, not the soccer player)…they simply don’t lose. They carefully put together films that enchant the younger fans in new ways and also provide adults with themes and characters beyond what many other animated films offer and Toy Story 4 is a welcomed addition to the Pixar library.

Here’s an image that most clearly exemplifies what me sitting in the theater looked like.

But it was worth it. While the film started a bit slower than I expected before it truly launches itself to infinity and beyond, it does eventually get there once Bonnie and her family hits the road.

Bonnie, you’ll recall, is the young girl Andy gifts his beloved toys to at the end of Toy Story 3. It was a clever way to keep the toys in the hands of a kid, but something about Bonnie and her family doesn’t quite connect as well as the three-film journey we went on with Andy and his family. Of course, they’re merely bit players as the toys deservingly take up most of the screen time.

In terms of new characters, two really stand out. Forky (voiced by Tony Hale) is a really fun addition to the toybox. He’s convinced he’s not a toy, but merely trash. And of course Sheriff Woody won’t let negative thinking like that continue and works to convince Forky how special he is to Bonnie. Other new additions to the cast of characters are Gabby Gabby (voiced by Christina Hendricks) and Bunny & Ducky (voiced by Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele) and they’re also solid additions to a growing toy collection.

The most awesome addition to the cast of toys is Duke Caboom, voiced by Keanu Reeves. He’s a Canadian Stuntman who, once he appears, really brings a new energy to the movie overall. Much like Michael Keaton in Toy Story 3 as Ken, he’s the most enjoyable new toy for us to play with and he’s the scene stealer I’ve come to expect from these movies. There’s a particular shot of Duke at the climax of the film that is easily one of the most gorgeous in the franchise’s entire history. Without giving much away, I’ll just say it involves fireworks.

The story moves along at a good pace and the comedy is natural, but maybe the most exceptional thing about Toy Story 4 are the visuals. The above mentioned Duke Caboom visual isn’t the only time you’ll be enthralled by the colors and overall technical prowess this film provides. It’s a feast for the eyes, that yes, you’ll likely also have to wipe a couple tears from at various points depending on your connection to the franchise and its cast of characters.

Final Words: 

The fourth installment in the Toy Story saga is an incredibly enjoyable ride that also does feel slightly unnecessary considering how perfectly Toy Story 3 wrapped up the trilogy. But it works, it’s clear everyone involved is having fun, and it gets us Keanu Reeves voicing a toy of a Canadian stuntman. It’s a winner. Kids will laugh, adults will cry, and everyone will love that there’s more Toy Story for us to enjoy.

Score: 8.5/10 (Really Good)