Toy Story 4

When I first heard that Pixar were making Toy Story 4 I immediately thought 'uh oh'. Even after seeing posters and watching trailers I wasn't convinced that the story needed a follow up. But a calm washed over me when I heard generally positive things about it and I got incredibly excited to get the the cinema this evening just to see what it was all about and when I heard Randy Newman's familiar theme song I knew I was in good hands.

The overriding narrative focuses on Woody wrestling with the fact he's no longer the favourite toy, especially after a new art 'n crafts toy spork (creatively named Forky) becomes his new owner go-to toy. After a quick set-up we are rushed onto a road-trip and later an antique store where Forky goes missing and where we meet this film's new villain.

The ever expanding cast just about reached breaking point here though with many of the OG toys being relegated to the sidelines in favour of new friends. Key and Peele's fluffy duck/rabbit combo in particular hog the limelight but I was surprisingly ok with that.

I think their inclusion is somewhat indicative of the tonal shift of the film as a whole. Though it's still a kids film, the sense of humour is certainly skewed more towards adults with some more left of field jokes plus one extended gag that would have felt right at home in a Rick and Morty episode. I chuckled the whole way through even when my brain was telling me the comedy wasn't tonally consistent with Toy Story 1,2 and 3.

In the end, Toy Story 4 isn't unnecessary, on the contrary, it's actually pretty entertaining. It ends well too which was my biggest concern, it doesn't pack the same emotional whallop as the previous entry but it concludes with it's heart very much in the right place. I thought I come out of this one wrestling and screaming with my mind but instead I was treated to a good, but not great film which offered a welcome opportunity to have one last 'yee-haw' with all the character's we've come to know and love.