The Toy Story franchise continues to lose momentum with its fifth chapter—but because the legendary series started off on such a high note, Toy Story 5 is still a fun time.
Jessie (the voice of Joan Cusack) takes center stage in a chapter where Woody (Tom Hanks) is a supporting player. That’s not a bad thing; in fact, Jessie is a cherished part of the character lineup, and her getting the majority of screen time is a welcome development.
The toys, still in the possession of young Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), once again see their playtime getting reduced, with a new “tech” toy named Lilypad (Greta Lee) being the culprit. It’s a clever twist to have Toy Story deal with the universal increase of screen time, which is taking away real playtime with actual toys and people. Writers Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris handle the subject well.
If you are among the Toy Story fans who still think the Jessie flashback with the Sarah McLachlan song (“When She Loved Me”) in Toy Story 2 is a franchise high, then you will probably like Toy Story 5. There are many callbacks to that moment, and Jessie’s big grin—no matter what is going on—still breaks hearts.
Of course, there are new toys along with Lilypad, most notably Smarty Pants, a potty-training tech toy voiced enthusiastically by the one and only Conan O’Brien. Old mainstays like Rex (Wallace Shawn), Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and Hamm (John Ratzenberger) are still here. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) gets a fun subplot involving multiple Buzzes, while Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) gets a cameo.
The best Toy Story is still Toy Story 3, a film that would’ve been a fine ending for the franchise. However, it’s OK that the saga continues. (MAKE THAT MONEY!)
It’s fun to see everybody again, and Toy Story 5 is a good story. The series might never reach its former heights again, but Toy Story is still a reliable smile machine.