Resources/Parent Review/Entertainment

By Summer Lane

Photo: Screenshot, Toy Story 5 Trailer (YouTube)

You’ve got a friend in me…or do you?

In Disney-Pixar’s newest animated film, Toy Story 5, Jessie the cowgirl takes center stage with a new adventure and new friends, picking up some good lessons along the way while managing to entertain both parents and children alike.

The film is a return to the toy-based universe made so popular in the first three films – an animated dynasty that launched John Lasseter’s Pixar to soaring heights and delivered priceless movie memories for millions of children around the world. Woody, Buzz, and the gang are back in this fifth installment, and while a fifth movie is sometimes nothing to write home about, this movie was a vast improvement over the fourth film.

The Good

The plot of Toy Story 5 is simple but relatable: Bonnie, the toys’ newest kid (she came into the picture at the end of Toy Story 3), is now eight years old. She’s having trouble making friends, and her brilliant parents (this is sarcasm), decide to buy her tablet so that she can play games and connect with others kids her age. The only problem? It turns her into a zombie, and she begins experiencing the negative side effects of digital isolation and, at times, cyberbullying.

The toys begin facing the “end” of the age of toys as the entire neighborhood appears consumed with the digital universe. The toys, especially Jessie, struggle with this. She argues loudly against the film’s initial antagonist, digital tablet “Lily Pad.” And thus ensues Jessie’s journey to prove that the digital world ain’t nothin’ compared to the physical one, and that there is no screen or video game that can replace the joy of real playtime.

But troubles persist. Jessie’s core values are challenged. She questions her own worth and identity. She also learns not to be so judgmental of new technology, even if she doesn’t entirely like it. And most importantly, Jessie fights for Bonnie, and that is what is at the heart of this movie: the love these toys have for their kids. It is the cornerstone of what made the original films so great, and it was a key factor that was lost in the fourth film (in which Woody abandoned Bonnie and his friendship with Buzz Lightyear to be with Bo Peep!).

In this film, Disney/Pixar redeemed themselves a bit on that point. They centered the film on what mattered most: friendship, self-sacrifice, and finding purpose. And the most important message at all? A refutation of chronic screen time in today’s youngest minds. Any hardcore screen-time parents were probably shrinking in their seats during the film…and that’s a good thing!

And as a side note, the animation was truly exquisite.

The Bad 

The great thing about this film is that it wasn’t pushing subliminal messages. It was story and character-driven. This was such a refreshing thing to see in a Disney film, given the company’s recent string of silly decisions that pushed inappropriate content on youngsters in films like Seeing Red and Lightyear. 

The only sour notes of this film are really centered in the diminishment of Woody and Buzz’s characters. In this film, they are reduced to clownish side characters. They bicker, argue, and act completely incapable – very at odds with their original characters in the film. Sure, it’s funny, but it’s not like them. I always dislike it when filmmakers feel that they need to degrade a male character to prop up a female one. It’s not necessary. Jessie would have shined either way.

In no universe is this film anywhere close to hitting the same emotional notes as the original three movies. It will never be able to get there, because the series has gone on too long, and the writers behind Toy Story 4 severely weakened Woody’s character by separating him from his kid and his best friends. The chemistry between Woody and Buzz was off-beat in this film. It’s clear that without John Lasseter at the helm, Pixar and Disney has been unable to achieve the same kind of jaw-dropping storytelling that created mega-hits and global phenomena.

Even now, Toy Story 5’s success is possible only because of the strong storytelling and character development established in the original three films. This is abundantly clear in the most recent flick.

Conclusion 

Toy Story 5 is a good, solid, and family-friendly film. There are a few tear-jerking moments, a few good laughs, and a handful of very important lessons to be learned here. It’s probably the best effort Disney has put forth in years, and for that, they deserve to be commended.

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Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and editor who is covering the White House and Trump administration. She owns Write Revolution News.

Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing on women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.

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