A Parent’s Review of Toy Story 4

After that detailed Toy Story 4 summary, there are some questions raised. The first one of them is if we really needed to know about what happened after the heartbreaking ending of the prequel. Apparently, yes, all the parents and children needed to know what came next and what was the new adventure of their old friends. Not to mention how Pixar has excelled again in their animation and storyline, which any child can easily follow. What is more, they have added some great new characters that were really brought to life by the actors that gave their voices to them, including Duke Caboom (voiced by Keanu Reeves) and his never-ending but not so successful stunts. 

The storyline and quirky new and old characters are certainly suitable for an audience of all ages, but there are some things parents need to know before playing this to their child. There are some mildly scary scenes, because of the slightly creepy ventriloquist doll and there are numbers of close calls and rescue and escape missions. So, if you know your child is easily spooked or is too young for such surprises, wait until they are a bit older. However, even though Gabby Gabby, the ventriloquist doll, is a bit unsettling, her subplot carries a massively positive message. Her story lets us see that if you take time to fix what’s “wrong” with you, you will become more likely to be accepted and loved by others. Not only that, but her story involves plenty of empathy, and overall the movie still talks about emotions, friendships and loyalty, after all these years. 

On the other hand, more hardcore fans think that Toy Story 4 didn’t actually need to happen and the sequel feels not as coherent or emotionally compelling as the previous three. While Toy Stories 2 and 3 felt more like jigsaw pieces completing a bigger picture, the fourth one feels distinct and less essential. What bothers the fans the most is that Woody and Buzz are not together on the adventure, being buddies, like in previous films. Also, the Buzz’s storyline feels neglected and almost tacked on. 

However, despite Woody and Buzz not being in their buddy act together in this sequel, there is still plenty to enjoy in the Toy Story 4. There is plenty of new quirky characters introduced and there is a new buddy act with the confused Forky (voiced by Tony Hale). He is really messy but really loveable and quite playful and fun for kids to watch and follow on an adventure. What is more, he offers Woody a second chance and new purpose, since his new “owner” Bonnie doesn’t play with him as much as Andy did.