Over the past 27 years, Toy Story has remained one of my favorite film franchises. Since its initial entry and Pixar Animation Studios debut in 1995, every entry in the series have been near masterpieces and some of the best-animated films of all time. Regrettably, after the 2019 release of Toy Story 4, it felt like the franchise was finished.
However, a Disney investor call in December 2020 would reveal that was not the case. During that call, it was revealed that “the film that made Andy fall in love with Buzz Lightyear” was in the works. Not only was this an exciting concept, but one that saw a change from Tim Allen to Captain America himself – Chris Evans. A change that would keep the film within the world of Toy Story but would be a singular entity.
The idea immediately brought memories of a youngling growing up going on imaginary sci-fi adventures with Luke, Han, and Leia, and the excitement for the film grew. After the trailer debuted the film with stunning animation and First Man: The Animated Film vibes, it immediately jumped to one of my most anticipated films this year.
It’s no surprise that Lightyear blasts into the rarefied air of Pixar’s upper echelon. A majestic constellation of cinematic excellence with a space adventure tailor-made for all ages. The film captures the magic of what made the Toy Story franchise while confidently opening the door for new fans to the franchise.
Lightyear follows Buzz Lightyear, the iconic space ranger, and his trusty companion Alisha Hawthorne. After a freak accident leaves the duo and their crew stranded on a planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth, Buzz attempts to find a way back home. In the process of his quest, he befriends a group of rookies and what indeed will be a new favorite for many cinephiles, SOX the cat. Unfortunately, threatening Buzz’s mission is the arrival of the evil Zurg, who will do whatever it takes to stop Buzz from completing his mission.
Director/writer Angus MacLane and his co-writer Jason Headley craft a transportive and imaginative screenplay that instantly immerses cinephiles into Buzz’s world. It’s not only full of stunning world-building but offers a surprising, grounded emotional arc of self-discovery. However, the most impressive thing about the duo’s screenplay is added layers of freshness to an already beloved character. Buzz enters the film as a beloved entity of the Toy Story franchise but leaves Lightyear as a character rich with backstory and growth that will leave no question amongst cinephiles as to why Andy fell in love with the space ranger 27 years ago.
When the news of Tim Allen being replaced with Chris Evans arrived, many were hesitant and upset about the change. However, Chris Evans shines bright in a well-rounded performance full of hilarity and charm. The tropes we’ve come to love are there, but Evans puts his stamp on the character and makes it relatively easy to forget about the re-voice casting and fall back into the world of Buzz.
The supporting cast around Buzz excel. Uzo Aduba and Keke Palmer are a delight as Izzy Hawthorne, while Taika Waititi and Dale Soules’s banter is laugh-inducing throughout. They’re great, but Peter Sohn’s SOX is the show-stealer. While SOX is prevalent in the trailer, you are not ready for all of SOX’s adorableness, comedy, and heat that you see in the film. Sohn’s voice work is outstanding and immediately cements the robotic cat as one of the best character debuts in any Pixar film.
Visually, Lightyear is a feast of beauty. This film is the one if there is any Pixar film to watch on Dolby Cinema. Jeremy Lasky and Ian Megibben create a world on par with some of the most gorgeous space shots in quite some time. With stunning space sequences, Lightyear adds to a genre rich in space beauty with one of the best-looking films of the year. The superior Dolby high resolution and sound will make cinephiles feel as they are a part of the galactic adventure Buzz is on.
Along with its visuals, the score of Lightyear mesmerizes. The year of Michael Giacchino continues as he creates a musical score fitting a hero like Buzz. Full of intensity, Giacchino embraces the challenge of some of the mature themes in the film and gives them the backdrop of dark, subtle themes. Giacchino is a genius!
Lightyear takes the animated genre to infinity and beyond! The summer blockbuster season is here and cinephiles across the globe are blessed to have Buzz Lightyear enter our stratosphere once more. Lightyear blasts into one of my favorite films of the year.
