‘Toy Story 4’ Review: It’s Great; What Did You Expect?

When Toy Story 4 was first announced, I was definitely in the “well this is unnecessary” camp. Toy Story 3 was so good and had such a satisfying ending, what was the point to making a fourth movie (besides the almighty dollar, of course)? Well, it turns out the reason was that Pixar had one more incredible movie loaded and ready to go.

The whole gang is back but the story mostly follows Woody as he tries to come to terms with no longer being the favorite toy. Bonnie, his new kid, starts kindergarten and makes a new toy on her first day, Forky (Tony Hale). Forky is instantly Bonnie’s favorite toy, and Woody takes it upon himself to help Forky acclimate to his new, confusing existence. This “Who am I?” “What is my purpose” existential crisis showcases surprising weight for what is supposed to be a movie for kids. But that’s vintage Pixar. There’s a reason so many of the people in my theater were adults who didn’t come with kids. There’s plenty there for the kids to enjoy, but there are decidedly adult themes present as well. Pixar, particularly with the Toy Story series, continues to be able to pull off the difficult feat of making movies that appeal equally to anyone age 5 to 100.

While the emotional weight may not match the heavy ending of its immediate predecessor, the humor and new characters go a long way in balancing that out. In addition to the fantastic Forky, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele joined the cast as Ducky and Bunny, respectively, two carnival prize toys Woody meets and befriends. As expected with these two, they are a laugh riot throughout, providing fantastic comedic relief. The movie added another big name to the cast in Keanu Reeves, playing Duke Caboom, a Canadian version of Evel Knievel. Reeves continues his absolute heater and very well might have stolen the show with his supporting role.

The only place where the movie really falters is with its antagonist, a lonely doll named Gabby Gabby, voiced by Christina Hendricks. Without giving away specific details, her story was a little too similar to Lotso’s in Toy Story 3. It still worked well enough, and an in-depth plot isn’t exactly a requirement for these movies. Still though, it would have been nice to see them come up with something a bit more original here.

Even though the same was said about Toy Story 3, this time feels like a surefire ending to the series. Obviously Pixar can always find a way and reason to continue, but it sure felt like a true ending this time around. And let’s hope it stays that way. All good things have to end sometime, and you might as well go out on a high note when you can.

Where to follow:
Twitter @MattHambidge and @NFTCouch
Instagram @matthambidge and @newsfromthecouch

Matt Hambidge