Toy Story 4 review – There’s a new toy on the block

Toy Story 4 is another Disney hit from Pixar Animation Studios.

John Cooney’s production explores the world of animated toys with vim, vigour, a dash of comic humour and some strong messages woven into the script.

The characters, all well-known entities by this stage, work as a team and when problems arise – as they usually do – they work together to solve them.

In this fourth instalment of the popular franchise, Cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the rest of the toy community face a fresh obstacle.

Toy Story 4. Picture: Pixar

Andy is at college and his younger sister, Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw), has inherited the collection.

Bonnie attends her first day at nursery school and finds it a lonely place.

She creates a new character called Forky (Tony Hale) in arts and crafts. Its body consists of a plastic fork discovered in the rubbish bin, ropey arms and big, misshapen glass eyes.

When Forky is brought home and meets the other toys, he is hit with an existential crisis about being a toy. The others try to help him understand how to be one.

As Bonnie and her family undertake a road trip, Forky decides to escape during a stopover in a small town, and Woody goes to save him, becoming separated from the group.

Forky (Tony Hale) in Toy Story 4. Picture: Pixar

The adventure expands into a series of mini-plots as the various toys spread out.

They have a dark (mis)adventure in a antique shop in the town where they meet a bossy doll named Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), who has been left on the shelf and is angry, and a group of creepy ventriloquist dummies which act as strong-arm security guards.

Two new outrageous toys, Bunny (Keegan-Michael Key) and Ducky (Jordan Peele), found in the amusement park, are added to the wacky line-up.

The inspired story follows their antics and what being a doll and loved by a child, really means.

Superb animation and the voice artistry of several big names provide the toys with definitive personalities.

Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) in Toy Story 4. Picture: Pixar

It’s truly a fun outing and both parents and their children will find plenty to chuckle over in this bright and breezy production.

Info

Rating: ★★★★☆
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen,Annie Potts, Tonh Hale, Keanu Reeves, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks
Director: John Cooney

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