Toy Story 5: the Pixar magic happens again (review)

With Andrew Stanton, the historical screenwriter of the saga, at the helm, Toy Story is once again touched by grace. We no longer believed it!

We have known it since Coco (2017) Pixar has had difficulty making money with its original films. Certainly, Elementaryafter a difficult start, did well in 2023, and Jumpers has just made an honorable score at the box office. But the observation is there, the top 5 of the biggest successes of animation studios are squatted by sequels (Vice-Versa 2, The Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4…). So, we must continue to exploit in-house hits between two attempts at innovation.

Waiting Nero, black cat (in 2027), therefore place Toy Story 5. This new installment breaks its own record for Pixar’s longest saga (Cars stopped at 3). But do Woody and his gang still have something fresh to offer us? After Toy Story 4a big hit in theaters but quite forgettable, and especially the spin-off on Buzz Lightyearcompletely off topic, we had some concerns…

This was without counting on the great return of veteran Andrew Stanton. The historic screenwriter of the series makes his first Toy Story and his first Pixar since Finding Dory (2016), with Kenna Harris, small hand of the studio propelled co-pilot of this 200 million dollar film. A heterogeneous duo who manage to breathe new life into the story, shaking up the dynamics and hierarchy between the characters as necessary to finally make Jessie the real heroine of the film, with one of the most beautiful moments of emotion in the saga.

Appeared in Toy Story 2 and become Bonnie’s favorite toy in 4, the cowgirl finds herself on the front line (with Buzz as her deputy) when a new threat named Lilypad appears. This frog-shaped tablet (dubbed in French by Laura Felpin) marks the arrival of technology in the world of Toy Story which finally addresses this cruel reality: children are abandoning their toys earlier and earlier in favor of screens. And the shy Bonnie also becomes addicted to this tool which also allows her to chat online with her dancing friends and to finally be invited to a sleepover.

Far from being reactive and Manichean, this narrative arc soon thwarts our fears with the irruption of a gang of obsolete electronic toys led by Rouleau Pote. This “hygiene assistant”, played by an irresistible Jonathan Cohen, tells jokes below the belt and helps Jessie in her mission. Thanks to him, she will understand that these toys also have a soul and that the fight is elsewhere, in the heart of little Bonnie confronted with the pangs of pre-adolescence when she is still only 8 years old. Kids today are growing up too quickly…

All toys, whatever they may be, have only one purpose: to accompany their child for as long as possible and see them fulfilled and happy. This is THE real find of this Toy Story 5. An idea outlined in previous films but fully exploited here. Stanton dares to put the “toys” aside to offer real scenes to Bonnie and Blaze (another girl with whom Jessie and Pile poil land by mistake). “Toy Story” becomes “Bonnie Story” at times, and almost leans towards Vice Versa. But the balance is always maintained, especially when the animation changes style to brilliantly materialize the game moments where it imagines the wedding of Jessie and Buzz.

Buzz, let’s talk about it. He is there, just like Woody, who interrupts his exile to also come and help out. The two essential heroes are in the right place, behind but not too much, less present than the promo might suggest. And we validate this other brilliant idea: incorporating into the story a shipment of new generation Buzz, which we discover in the opening scene stranded on a desert island. A refreshing and nostalgic thread, which allows us to rediscover the lost candor of the space ranger, and fully justified by the outcome of the plot.

It would be a lie to say that this new episode does not suffer from a few repetitions. You cannot completely reinvent a recipe that is more than 30 years old. But the new ingredients of this Toy Story 5where we laugh and cry like in the days of the best Pixar, clearly make it a success all the more dazzling as we no longer hoped for it.