Lightyear – An Entertaining Animated Throwback Sci-Fi Film

Lightyear may take place adjacent to the Toy Story universe but it is definitely not a Toy Story film. Confusion about the premise and/or unrealistic expectations based on nostalgia of the character of Buzz Lightyear and/or the Toy Story franchise have tempered the reaction to the film thus far which is a shame. Meanwhile, the film doesn’t quite fit in the Disney/Pixar pantheon which has also been a point of contention for audiences. Ultimately, the film is best experienced when viewed on its own merits and outside of the Toy Story and Disney/Pixar universe. That being said, it isn’t perfect by any means but still delivers an entertaining throwback to the cheesy sci-fi films of the 1980s. Thinking about it in the context of its premise, the film that inspired the creation of the Buzz Lightyear toy, it’s generic and contrived as a means to put Lightyear on a pedestal and inspire the future connection with Andy that led to the original Toy Story. In the end, it’s a film created to sell toys about a film created to sell toys. Let’s face it, a wave of new merchandise is inevitable.

Setting the overarching premise aside, Lightyear itself follows a Space Ranger named Buzz Lightyear (Evans) who found himself and a crew of about 1,000 people marooned on a mysterious planet following a failed mission. Defeated, he was nevertheless still determined to complete the mission but little did he know what that would cost. Taking trips in space to test a potential fuel source to fuel their escape, time would work differently as minutes for him were years for those below. Despite this hurdle, Lightyear remained undeterred. However, this would soon catch up with him, forcing him to adapt to the changing times and focus on the here and now. As roughly 100 years had passed, people and places weren’t quite the same as when he started. The planet he had spent so much time away from trying to help everyone get away from had advanced by leaps and bounds. At that point, the people had moved on as the mission wasn’t as important anymore.

Lightyear’s mission had to be set aside as the more pressing issue was the mysterious army of robots plaguing the planet. They were merely another adversary to contend with but luckily he wasn’t alone. Working with fellow Space Ranger, Commander Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), they had developed a strong bond that was going to be hard to replace following her death during his time off planet. Not fond of rookies, Lightyear had three thrust onto him. Though Alisha Hawthorne’s granddaughter Izzy (Palmer), Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi), and Darby Steel (Dale Soules) were a little rough around the edges to say the least, they meant well. The three were the furthest thing from Space Rangers and just needed some direction and real experience. These eccentric personalities certainly got that here. The arc of Lightyear and his dynamic with the other characters won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone, however, their rise was still a blast to watch.

Offering plenty of action and adventure, one can’t help but still want more as Lightyear only scratches the surface on the kind of film it could be but it may very well have the chance to spawn a sequel assuming this film succeeds at the box office. A post-credit scene at the very end of the film sets the stage for one. Carrying what was here was that camaraderie between Lightyear and the rookies. At the end of the day, the film never forgot who it was about, one that almost tripped over itself to ensure that which makes sense considering its purpose in the franchise as a whole. Being a Disney/Pixar film, the quality of animation shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone either. While not top tier, its characters were well done and its environments were impressive. A much different turn from the studio, the various planets, ships, and the Space Ranger abilities were something to behold.

The stellar voice acting within Lightyear ties it all together. Chris Evans is no Tim Allen, nor should he be, but he put his mark on the character with a same sense of gravitas and screen presence. The supporting cast also had moments to shine with Palmer, Waititi, and Soules each contributing to the film’s fun dynamic. Rising above them all however, is Sohn as Sox the robot cat who has played a prominent role across the film’s promotional material. He was the undisputed MVP of the film, stealing scenes with his personality alone. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the character come back in some form regardless.

Lightyear shouldn’t be lumped in with the Toy Story franchise despite the character of Buzz Lightyear being featuring prominently throughout. Just clear your mind and you’ll have a good time.

still courtesy of Disney/Pixar

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.