Directed by Angus MacLane, Lightyear is the origin story of Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy, and follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox (Peter Sohn). Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg (James Brolin), an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda.
Pixar has had a great streak of quality original films that sadly were not allowed to be seen on the big screen. But now Pixar finally returns to the big screen with a spin-off of arguably one of their best franchises, one that essentially made Pixar the animation titan it is today. Toy Story has had a major impact on many people and the fact it managed to have four films that were consistently amazing really says something. So when Lightyear was first revealed I felt highly confident about this film, not only because of Pixar’s track record but also because Pixar has always put forth their full effort to this series in particular. And after watching the film I can say one thing that best describes it as a whole: as a Toy Story film it is not the strongest entry, but as a fun animated adventure for families that contains some good messages it absolutely delivers.
We hold Pixar to such a high standard these days that we forget not all of their films are required to be emotionally complex or have layered characters. When we look back on some of their earlier work, including the first Toy Story, the stories were simple to follow and aimed more towards kids, yet still managed to be enjoyable and engaging in various ways. Lightyear feels very much like that and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. It’s a film that kids and families will absolutely adore, though I can see why some reviewers and older audiences may not totally groove with the film due to certain reasons.
Let’s start with the obvious positives, first being the gorgeous animation. No matter what the quality of the film might be in terms of characters or writing, Pixar has consistently managed to deliver the most beautiful animation and they continue to update, experiment and improve with every single one of their works. Colors and textures leap off the theater screen making you feel absorbed and enchanted by the world and the characters. It was so great to see Pixar animators’ hard work back on the big screen and it is definitely worth watching in 3D or IMAX to experience more of the visual beauty and fantastic cinematography. The space flight sequences were especially the most beautifully crafted parts of the film, and of course, Michael Giacchino brings forth a brilliant score that matches with the animation and action on screen.
When it comes to characters most of them are not that complex or developed, but they were still entertaining to watch and are given good voice performances by the cast. Chris Evans does a solid job voicing this interpretation of Buzz Lightyear that is both similar and different from the toy version we know of. He is headstrong, heavily focused on the mission, doesn’t trust others, and believes he can do everything himself, much like the toy counterpart in the first film. He even has many of the same mannerisms and behaviors of the Buzz we know, and we get to see references to the toy version in the gadgets and the quotes.
What makes him largely different from the toy counterpart is the human factor and the fact that in this film he is largely driven by guilt to complete his mission rather than duty, as we get to see what he goes through in the story, especially in the first portion. He’s not some perfect heroic figure but a flawed character that makes mistakes and tries to overcome them. )
And interestingly enough this ends up being the biggest theme of the film, one that plays a role not only in Buzz’s story but in other characters too. “Mistakes are always going to happen but it is your will to overcome them that defines you” is a fantastic message to have and one that is explored very well throughout, though it could have been pushed a bit more in some places and with certain characters.
The team consisting of Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer), Darby Steel (Dale Soules), and Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi) are all decent characters given great performances by their respective cast members but they needed a lot more development as they felt more like quirks than actual fleshed-out characters, with Izzy being the exception since she is connected to Buzz’s past.
One character however that really did stand out was Sox the robotic cat, who was easily the funniest character in the whole film. There is humor present throughout the film but it’s Sox who brings in the biggest laughs, thanks largely to Peter Sohn’s performance. He will definitely be a guaranteed favorite for a lot of people.
When it comes to the Zurg, this is where things are going to get a mixed reception from audiences because of what they chose to do with the character. Design-wise, Zurg looks incredible and intimidating in his new gigantic look alongside his legion of robots, and James Brolin does provide a great voice for him. But there is a sudden twist they pull with Zurg that I can’t discuss due to spoilers but I know some people have already not liked it. In my honest opinion while the twist could have been better developed it does play a part in the film’s main theme and does impact Buzz in a major way and I feel it actually worked. I think if people took some to think about it as well as listen closely I think they might appreciate what the filmmakers were trying to do with this new idea for Zurg and how it contributes to the themes of the story.
It’s one of the more complex ideas in an otherwise simple yet fun sci-fi adventure story. It has fun and thrilling action that is wonderfully animated and nails the entertainment factor, even when more aimed toward younger audiences. There aren’t as many emotional moments in this film compared to previous Pixar entries, but there are definitely some small moments that tug at the heartstrings, including this one particular part that hit hard very early on, similar to the opening of Up. Could it have been a lot stronger with its story? Absolutely, because when compared to the series it was spun off from it isn’t really that ground-breaking or impactful.
Even Toy Story 4 felt like it left a larger impact on me, which makes one question if Lightyear was a film that needed to be made, or if it deserved to be held so high above the other original Pixar films that it was the only one to get a theatrical release. I could see that being a topic of discussion but I do still think Lightyear is a good film for anyone to watch, especially for families. It’s harmless, simple fun that could have been better but is still guaranteed to give you a good time no matter what. Plus it’s great to see Pixar animation back on the big screen again because it has truly been missed. I’m going to give Lightyear a B+ = 88.
Side Note: There are three post-credit scenes at the end of the film.
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