Toy Story 5 Review – A Film About Screen Addiction Designed to Get Kids Back to the Screens

There comes a time when every franchise needs to know when to let go and walk away into the sunset. Judging by Toy Story 5, Disney and Pixar aren’t about to do that anytime soon.

The series received the perfect ending with Toy Story 3, but it pushed ahead with yet another entry. Granted, it was good and proved there was still some juice in the tank. With this new film, however, it’s clear the tank is running on fumes.

Is Toy Story 5 a horrendous movie? No, and it’s likely to do phenomenal numbers at the box office regardless of whatever anybody says about it. Having said that, it’s the weakest film in the franchise by a country mile. For one, this isn’t so much a Toy Story movie as it is a spin-off about Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack) masquerading as a sequel. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks) feature of course, but they’re very much supporting characters in Jessie’s adventure.

Here, Jessie and the toys have to come to terms with a change in their owner Bonnie’s (Scarlett Spears) life. In an attempt to help her make friends, Bonnie’s parents buy her a Lilypad (Greta Lee) digital device, resulting in the little girl becoming entranced by technology and all but forgetting about her toys. Matters take a turn for the worse when Bonnie makes “friends” who mock her about still playing with toys, which kicks off a sequence of events whereby Jessie and Co. attempt to regain Bonnie’s attention and affection.

Thematically, Toy Story 5 addresses the proverbial changing of the guard, as kids embrace technology more than traditional toys. Instead of beating its chest and saying, “Tech is bad,” the film takes a nuanced approach, addressing the value of technology in children’s lives but also reminding viewers about the importance of disconnecting and letting imagination run wild. Some food for thought.

As sweet and timely as the message is, Bonnie’s parents’ behavior comes across as highly unbelievable. They put in place rules for tech usage, then promptly ignore them, as their kid brings the devices to the table for meals and everywhere with her. Um, who are the parents here exactly?

This also plays into another subplot involving cyberbullying. It’s clear as day that Bonnie’s mood has changed for the worse since she received the Lilypad, but her parents do nothing. No questions. No checking her device. This girl is under 10 years old…

Yes, Toy Story 5 is a children’s movie, but there is a way to tackle such topics without making the characters look like total klutzes. Maybe Bonnie’s parents locked up the Lilypad and she could have found a way to access it when they weren’t looking, for instance.

Jessie’s story is also a rehash of what we have seen with Woody and Buzz before, especially when they feel abandoned by their owner. Nothing – apart from the inclusion of the technology angle – is new to the franchise.

Speaking of the cowboy and space commander, let’s discuss their diminished influence in the movie. When you think Toy Story, you think of Woody and Buzz – this is their franchise. So, it’s quite the choice to make them supporting characters in this story. It’s like titling a movie Spider-Man, but making it all about Aunt May while Spidey is on the periphery. Just call it Jessie: A Toy Story or something – at least that’s being honest with the audience about what they can expect.

It’s tough to watch Toy Story 5 and not feel a tinge of disappointment. The emotional moments don’t hit as powerfully as they did before, while the characters’ actions don’t lend themselves to the story’s believability. It’s an unnecessary film that comes across as nothing more than a half-baked effort to get children glued to the screens again for no other reason than profit. Does anybody else see the irony in this?

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