This latest film in the recalls the feel of the earlier films in the series by knowing how to tug on the heartstrings, while covering themes relevant to kids in a gentle and sincere way.
How many films in a series are too much? How can they keep the characters and the stories that are being told completely fresh and relevant? This is something that the Toy Story franchise in particular has had to think of and here it is clear that there is still plenty of life in the toys yet.
For Toy Story 5, the story sees Jessie taking centre stage, as Bonnie is given a Lillypad to use in order to try and help make friends, despite loving playing with toys. What follows is Jessie and the gangs attempts to remind Bonnie the joy of playing – but Jessie also has to overcome her aversion to technology in order to do so.
It is definitely a timely and relevant film, particularly given the rise in concern about the amount of screen time children are exposed to and the cruelty that can be found online. As always the writers have approached this topic with delicacy and heartwarming moments, while also focusing on the power of friendship and the importance of keeping an open mind.
There are just a couple of things that prevent Toy Story 5 being completely perfect. One is the opening sequence in which we see a load of abandoned Buzz Lightyears embark on a journey of their own, to then flash back to when Jessie was with her first playmate Emily – this just feels slightly confusing to begin with and takes a bit of time to see how these are relevant. The second is that it feels just a little bit sombre for a lot of the film, yes there is a great action packed moments and and seeing Woody and Buzz squabble for control is delightful, it just feels as though the tone has changed slightly too much.
This being said, there is still plenty of heartwarming moments that really give the film a strong emotional core. Among these is seeing Jessie reconnecting with her past and wondering if she is a good enough toy which is actually heartbreaking, while seeing Bonnie struggling to connect with children her own age makes the ending so thoroughly satisfying (yes I did feel myself welling up). Other highlight moments are when we are taken into children’s minds and their imagination, capturing the powerful nature of playtime.
But what the film does really well is to argue the fact that while technology is for everything, playing with toys is just as important for kids to stay in touch with their creative sides and emotional development.
Overall, Toy Story 5 gives audiences plenty to unpack but still manages to capture just what makes this franchise so special: heart, emotional connection and a story that children and adults alike can relate to. It is a warm welcome back for Sheriff Jessie and the gang!
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️