Is Toy Story 5 any good?

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In a world of screens and distractions, Charles Merritt loves that this heartfelt sequel invites Christian families to rediscover the power of imagination, friendship, and faith that endures, even when childhood feels like it’s fading fast

Untitled design (4)

Film: Toy Story 5

Age rating: PG

Runtime: 102 minutes

See this if you liked: Toy Story

Synopsis:

When tech invades Bonnie’s home, Jessie is determined to prove that toys still have a place in a child’s life.

Review:

Toy Story is one of my favourite film franchises of all time. I grew up with it as a child and shed so many tears at the end of Toy Story 3 (I still do now). Toy Story 4 was frustratingly disappointing for me and, as a result, I was feeling apprehensive about this fifth addition to the series.

I’m glad to report that Toy Story 5 is a LOT better than Toy Story 4, even if it’s not as good as the original trilogy.

In this movie, we find a slightly older Bonnie who is still struggling to make friends (plastic sporks and knives aside). In a search for new friends, Jessie stumbles across a group of abandoned toys that explain in a comically dystopian manner that tech has invaded the lives of all the children in the neighbourhood.

Unfortunately, Bonnie’s parents are also concerned about Bonnie’s lack of friends and decide that a Lilypad (think a kid’s version of an iPad) might be a good way for her to connect with other children her age.

The writing is sharp for this latest Toy Story adventure, from its jokes about tech to its pop culture references

The toys are immediately replaced with the bright and shiny new ‘toy’ on the block. Bonnie becomes addicted to her Lilypad almost immediately. Even worse for the OG gang of toys is that Lilypad is not the friendliest device when humans are not around, dismissing Bonnie’s toys as old and irrelevant. Jessie becomes furious and laments that she wants the best for Bonnie. Lilypad echoes Jessie’s sentiments and adds Bonnie to a group chat with girls from her dance class proving once again that Jessie and the toys are no longer needed.

But when Bonnie is invited to a sleepover, Jessie stows away in her bag to ensure that Bonnie forms good friendship only to be accidentally taken far away to a different house, separated from Bonnie, and leaving her in the hands of Lilypad.

It’s at this new but familiar location that she meets the Double A gang, a group of old tech toys, made up of Smarty Pants (a potty-training device), Atlas (a sat-nav hippo) and Snappy (a digital camera). Although they had all been discarded and left to run out of charge, they are still very invested in their child, Blaze. Jessie reluctantly forms an alliance to help her to be reunited with Bonnie with the aim of introducing her to Blaze as a potential new friend.

In a week where the government has recently announced a future ban on social media for under 16s, this film could not have come out at a better time

The writing is sharp for this latest Toy Story adventure, from its jokes about tech to its pop culture references, there’s hardly any stones left unturned, nor comment unsaid, about the state of play in today’s generation.

The voice cast are all on top form. It’s great to have Jessie taking the lead in this movie (after being sidelined in Toy Story 4) and Joan Cusack does a phenomenal job of voicing the character once again. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen also have great fun as Woody and Buzz Lightyear who are back to fighting about who’s in charge. There are new characters too with Conan O’Brien particularly standing out in the role of Smarty Pants.

When it comes to computer animation, no one quite does it like Pixar. They take their storytelling seriously, and their visuals are spectacular. There is a plethora of complex sequences that look incredible, especially when you compare them to the first Toy Story back in 1995 when computer animation was in its infancy.

it’ll be interesting to see whether it will make a lasting impact in the way parents allow their children access to screens

The emotional core of the film and its warnings around the use of technology with children are solid. Although, they may not always grab the attention of children (there were definitely a few restless kids in the screening I attended), I actually think this film was more aimed for the adults in the room and it’ll be interesting to see whether it will make a lasting impact in the way parents allow their children access to screens.

It’s a movie packed full of great jokes, action sequences and emotional scenes that will have you laughing, crying and wanting to dig out your old toys to give them a hug of thanks for your childhood memories.

Faith thoughts (SPOILERS):

There’s almost too much that I could say about this movie, but I’ll pick up on two things I think are probably the most relevant for us.

In a week where the government has recently announced a future ban on social media for under 16s, this film could not have come out at a better time. The relationship between children and technology has come under scrutiny for a while now but it was refreshing to have a film that addresses it in such an understanding way.

In truth, technology is not necessarily an evil. But the addictive qualities and the false sense of socialising it gives are damaging to our kids. And doesn’t just go for children, I might add, it goes for adults too. In fact, I was saddened that, after the film had finished, I saw a row of phones light up as parents went back to their screens – despite the movie providing a clear warning!

Sadly, many children are growing up way too fast, interacting with things that aren’t designed for them, abandoning their toys for tech

As Jessie explains, there’s a difference between games and pure play. Games are structures in ways to play, but pure play requires imagination, it requires interaction and involvement. One of my hobbies is doing improv comedy and it was affirming to have this movie show that the art of play is not about being childish, it’s about creativity and endless opportunities.

Sadly, many children are growing up way too fast, interacting with things that aren’t designed for them, abandoning their toys for tech. The tweenager is a lost phase it seems nowadays. They turn from child to teenager before they even reach their teens. At one point in the film, Jessie reflects that Blaze’s room looks like a teenagers, even though she’s only nine years old.

I think it’d be fair to say that we live in a world of distraction and noise. There are countless apps and services vying for our attention at every moment of the- hang on, I’ve just got to do my Duolingo…

when it comes to tech vs God, we know that God’s not in the business of mining data or marketing opportunities

As a youth worker, it’s heartbreaking to watch kids fall away from faith or the safe spaces we provide for them. Like the toys in Toy Story, our job is to be there for them. I have so often felt like Jessie, as though I’m not good enough for them anymore, as though they have outgrown me and as a result I have outgrown my usefulness.

I recently had a conversation with a young person who used to be in my youth group. It was hard to hear how their faith has taken a major backseat in their life. Encouragingly, they think they still believe in God, but their struggle to connect with Him in amongst the sport, the partying, the friendships and the exams made me incredibly sad.

The social media ban for U16s will make things worse

The social media ban for under-16s will help teens connect in the real-world

We desperately want our children and our young people to know God because, when it comes to tech vs God, we know that God’s not in the business of mining data or marketing opportunities. He doesn’t view them as digits or percentages or potential audiences. God, just as Woody and the gang do, cares so deeply about His children and wants the best for them. He doesn’t give up on them. He offers, not an artificial life but, a real life with all its ups and downs, highs and lows with the promise that He’ll always be there with them.

There’s a beautiful moment where Jessie realises her original owner, Emily, grew up to have a child and ended up naming her Jessie. So long has Jessie felt rejected, not good enough, a failure. To know that after all that time, Jessie had a lasting impact on Emily’s life, teaches her that it was all worth it. The heartbreak, the loss, the struggle.

We may not know the impact we have on a child’s life. We may never find out how their faith journey panned out. But God does. And we can trust that God will be watching over them, even when they have lost sight of Him, to eternity and beyond…

4 stars