Lightyear Review

*What do you expect…

IMDB Synopsis

Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion, Sox.

“That was utterly terrifying and I regret having joined you.”

Pixar has been very busy in recent years with 6 movies since 2019 and with LIGHTYEAR being their first movie back in Theaters they do not seem like letting up anytime soon. As I said TURNING RED, LUCA, SOUL, and basically ONWARD Disney+ has been the home of Pixar for a new generation of kids. However, you know me, and as a theater lover it is great to see these movies on the big screen like they deserve to be. So let’s talk about Pixar’s latest entry into the TOY STORY family with LIGHTYEAR.

Animation – A

The look of this movie is pretty stunning to be honest. With classically Pixar animation paired with shots so stunning they almost look live action. That makes sense because this was the first Pixar movie to ever be animated to fit an IMAX screen. So some of these scenes are big, bold, and have you fully immersed in the action. There is more than enough here to keep kids and parents in awe of the incredible work of the animators.

Voice Cast – C

This is where the controversy was before the movie even came out. How can you have a Buzz Lightyear movie without Tim Allen? Sure, they got Captain America, but as great as Christ Evans is, it always felt like someone trying to do Buzz, while Tim Allen will always be the real Buzz. Uzo Aduba is fine in a limited role, and I loved Buzz’s team of Taika Waititi, Keke Palmer, and Dale Soules. But, of course the person who stole the show was Peter Sohn as Buzz’s robotic cat Sox. It is almost like when you hire actual voice actors, they perform at a high level.

Music – C+

I found it interesting that Starman, the David Bowie song, in the trailer was more effective than any of the score in the movie. Michael Giacchino is an incredible composer, but nothing about this score felt any different than anything they have done in the past. It felt pretty generic and unmemorable, which in the past is not like Pixar. The TOY STORY MOVIES, A BUGS LIFE, FINDING NEMO, THE INCREDIBLES, RATATOUILLE, INSIDE OUT all have incredibly memorable scores, and Giacchino even did a couple of those, so it was a bit disappointing here to be honest.

Story – C-

So, the hook for this movie is that this was the movie Andy watched in 1995 that made him want to get a Buzz Lightyear toy. My question is, why? This movie is probably the most high level and confusing kids movie ever made. It is a mix of INTERSTELLAR, STAR WARS, and honestly TOP GUN: MAVERICK and no kid under the age of 15 will probably understand the plot dynamics of it. I am almost 30 and when the twist hits later in the movie I was even confused and still am wondering if it actually makes any sense. So it is a bit of a stretch for me to believe Andy saw this and was like that is my favorite movie ever. Nonetheless, it is extremely bold and takes chances that most filmmakers do not even dream of taking with a so called “kids movie.”

*A couple other tidbits

If our sandwiches ever become meat on the outside, that is when my time on this earth comes to an end.
The same sex kiss everyone had a conniption over was the least big deal ever.
Not having John Ratzenberger in this movie hurts my soul.

If you see this movie you will have a good time and be wowed by the visuals. It may definitely leave you confused at the end, but oveall I felt this was another solid entry in the Pixar canon. I just hope this is not the start of more and more spinoffs for their existing characters, because they are at their best doing original material.

Juice Rating: