[Review] Toy Story 4: Another Perfect Ending

Pixar's flagship film series, Toy Story, has released its latest installment, Toy Story 4. The previous film's ending seemed to be an almost perfect conclusion to the series. So, is this new entry superfluous, or does it add a brilliant final touch?

The ending of Toy Story 3 saw Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen), along with their friends, moving on with their grown-up owner Andy, deciding to become toys for their new owner, Bonnie. This in itself was a deeply moving and complete ending, summing up the journey of the toys with Andy across three films. Many viewers in 2019, upon hearing Toy Story 4 was coming out, likely had one question: does this series still have good stories to tell? Or is it just "adding more to the plate" for box office success? Moreover, with the last film released nine years ago in 2010, has the audience's passion for the series not cooled? Are people still interested in the stories of these characters? After watching the movie, I genuinely admire how Pixar keeps a series timeless, still touching adult and child audiences over twenty years after the first film's release, captivating generations.

As mentioned, the toys fulfilled their mission in Toy Story 3, leaving Andy's home to become Bonnie's toys; and one of the significant themes of this installment is mission and purpose. In the film, the protagonists believe their mission is to accompany their owner as they grow up, bringing them joy and a sense of security. When they achieve this, they seem to fulfill their purpose in existence. Woody, deeply believing in this mission, eagerly hopes to be chosen by Bonnie to play with her. However, life often doesn't go smoothly, and Woody faces a major setback: Bonnie consistently doesn't choose him to play. If we fail to fulfill our mission, what meaning does our existence hold? Woody waits every day, still not chosen by Bonnie, so he decides to take initiative, hiding in Bonnie's backpack to accompany her on her first day of kindergarten. As a result, although he doesn't physically play with Bonnie, he still manages to complete his mission, lending a hand when Bonnie is at a low point and helping her recover.

At this moment, the new character, Forky (voiced by Tony Hale), appears. If you've seen the trailers or other promotional materials, you're sure to be impressed by this simply designed character, who looks out of place among the other adorable toys. Forky is the exact opposite of Woody; he's not a toy but trash from a bin. Therefore, he feels his existence is meaningless, that he's just trash, and he believes his purpose is only to return to the trash bin. Despite constantly questioning his worth and even attempting self-destruction, he still has a purpose: Bonnie loves him dearly, needs him by her side every day, and even wants to see him first thing in the morning. When Forky gets lost, Bonnie's parents tell her not to obsess, suggesting she can just make another Forky, but Bonnie insists that Forky is unique and irreplaceable. Sometimes, we might feel our lives are worthless, and our actions meaningless, but perhaps we are incredibly important in others' eyes, and our small deeds might be enough to impact someone's entire life. After watching the movie, I even felt that the production team intentionally made Forky look so rudimentary, because even the strangest, ugliest toy has its own meaning.

Woody's journey doesn't end there. By chance, he reunites with his old flame, Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts). When he learns that Bo Peep has been without an owner for many years, he feels her life has lost its mission and meaning, as if she's lost her way. But Bo Peep uses her own life to tell him: a toy's mission shouldn't be limited to accompanying an owner; toys without owners can also have meaning and are not lost. At the same time, Woody encounters another new character, Gabby Gabby (voiced by Christina Hendricks), in an antique shop. This character is obsessed with Woody's voice box, hoping to replace her own, which was broken at "birth." Gabby Gabby is very persistent and constantly tries to confine and capture Woody and Forky, appearing like a crazy, evil villain. But we later understand that she simply hopes to regain a normal voice, be loved by a child, so she can accompany a child as they grow, fulfill her mission, and rediscover her purpose in existence. This character's setup is the inverse of Forky's; she was originally a toy but became like trash due to a physical defect that prevented children from loving her.

Although Gabby Gabby later obtains Woody's voice box, fate plays a cruel trick: she still fails to win a child's affection, plunging her into an even deeper despair when her hopes are dashed. Just as she's about to give up, Woody takes her out of the antique shop, and she unexpectedly finds a lost child who needs companionship, and she stays with the child through loneliness and fear, ultimately helping her find her parents. At this point, Gabby Gabby finally finds her purpose in existence. Indeed, fate often plays tricks on us. We may often feel powerless, as if we cannot control our lives, but as long as we don't give up, we will always find meaning in life. This film uses several characters to represent different people in the real world. We may have different backgrounds and qualities, we may be experiencing highs and lows in life, and we may temporarily not have found our purpose and value, but as long as we don't give up on ourselves, we will always see the dawn. Pixar films have always surpassed our imagination for animation, and this time, the production team once again uses the simplest story to convey very abstract concepts. After watching the movie, how can we still say that this film is only for box office and has no meaning?

But the film's significance lies not only in conveying these themes but also in providing a perfect conclusion to the series. In the film's ending, Woody finally brings Forky back to Bonnie. As he prepares to bid farewell to Bo Peep and return to Buzz Lightyear and the others, Buzz tells him that Bonnie can manage without him. In fact, in this movie, Bonnie barely values Woody's companionship, though Woody has always considered her his owner, believing his mission is to accompany Bonnie; but Forky seems to have replaced him. Ultimately, Woody decides to follow Bo Peep and the others, formally parting ways with Buzz Lightyear and his friends. The first Toy Story film depicted Buzz Lightyear just becoming Andy's toy and how he formed friendships with Woody and the others, and the friendship between Woody and Buzz Lightyear is precisely the core of the series. By Toy Story 4, Woody finally has to leave Buzz to embark on a new life, searching for new meaning. I believe audiences who have watched all four films will be moved to tears by this ending, yet also laugh at their separation, and feel incredibly satisfied. Yes, the "conclusion" mentioned above is indeed a full stop, but I believe Pixar is absolutely capable of continuing this story again in several years without disappointing audiences.

The Toy Story series' greatest success has always been its beloved characters. Although Woody plays a more prominent role in this installment, Buzz Lightyear's storyline is also very meaningful. Woody encourages Buzz Lightyear to follow his "inner voice" in the film, but the naive Buzz believes Woody is referring to the voice coming from his toy's voice box, leading to many comedic moments. In fact, this "inner voice" plot point ties closely to the film's theme: if we were to live our lives entirely by an external voice, then we would seemingly have no thoughts of our own, no free will, no control over our lives. We would become like puppets, with everything in our lives already decided by others, spending our entire lives following that voice, without any meaning. Compared to the previous installments, this film's theme seems more profound and might not easily resonate with or engage audiences. Fortunately, the film is still full of humorous plotlines and characters. Among them, my favorites are Ducky and Bunny, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key (The Predator) and Jordan Peele (the director of Get Out and Us), respectively. They are adorable, yet their personalities and actions are hilarious, filling the film with surprise and joy. And another undeniable MVP of this installment is Keanu Reeves, who is once again highly popular this year as the star of John Wick. His portrayal of the 80s action star toy, Duke Caboom, carries a hint of Keanu Reeves' melancholia, but his voice acting is also full of comedic flair, very different from the Keanu Reeves we know!

Beyond the characters, Pixar's animation technology once again astonishes. Whether it's the rainy opening scene or the antique shop and theme park where much of the story takes place, everything feels incredibly realistic, and the lighting and shadows are exquisitely detailed. One of my favorite elements of the Toy Story series is how the small stature of the protagonists, when navigating normal-sized places, makes them feel like characters in a video game, having to overcome obstacles, traverse distances, and activate mechanisms to reach their destinations. In this installment, we also see how they cooperate to rescue friends or escape perilous situations. For many Hongkongers, June and July of this year have been very difficult months. Toy Story 4 not only provides us with a viewing experience filled with laughter and tears, but the characters' emphasis on companionship—their acts of "going together" and "striving separately"—will surely be unforgettable for audiences.

Trailer:

Synopsis:

Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. So when Bonnie’s beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (voice of Tony Hale), declares himself as “trash” and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts). After years of being on her own, Bo’s adventurous spirit and life on the road belie her delicate porcelain exterior. As Woody and Bo realize they’re worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy, they soon come to find that’s the least of their worries.

Photo and Source: Pixar