Verdict: 4/5
There is an obvious nostalgia hit associated with ‘Toy Story 5’, given Woody, Buzz and co have existed in our world for more than 30 years now.
They have become films that have spanned generations, and one thing you will constantly notice if you re-watch those early movies is how well they stand up.
‘Toy Story 5’ therefore is as much for the adults in the room as it is the kids they’ve dragged along.
Much has already been said about ‘Toy Story 5’ and its very firm attack on tech – particularly handheld devices that dominate so much of our children’s lives these days.
But the premise is not all that much different from the first four films, which have always focused on a threat of some kind. In the first movie, it was Woody threated by Buzz; then of course Al the Toy Collector came along in subsequent movies.
There was the constant threat of a toy’s owner outgrowing it.
So while tech is the villain here, there has always been a threat of extinction or replacement looming over central characters.
This film focuses primarily on Bonnie, first introduced to us in ‘Toy Story 3′. We find her at a crossroads between playing with toys like Jessie, Buzz and Bullseye, and a desperation to find friends by having a tablet just like them.
The toys, with Woody called in for assistance, aim to prove their worth and relevance against a tablet that can seemingly replace everything they once provided.
There is an obvious undercurrent here and something of a slap in the face to parents – not necessarily that they should be throwing tablets in the bin and erasing them from their kids’ lives, but that moderation and parental engagement are key.
Balance is at the centre of the storyline, though I have no doubt adults will take it different ways depending on their own internal debates they have with kids and tech.
There’s not many series’ that are still knocking it out of the park at the fifth movie, but ‘Toy Story 5’ is just as good as its predecessors, and its proudly alongside them.
See this movie at Hoyts Penrith
