Although the trailers for Toy Story 5 teased an all-out war on the childhood tech addiction epidemic, recent comments from directors Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris had me bracing for a milquetoast message about electronics ultimately being fine for young children. While the message indeed lands somewhere in that territory, it might be the least of the film’s issues, as the filmmakers jettison the franchise’s proven core leads and focus on the rehashed theme of one toy’s trauma.
The New Lead
Since its inception, the Toy Story IP has been anchored by its two leads: Woody and Buzz, voiced in the original English by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen respectively. While Buzz took a backseat in Toy Story 4 (which I thought was a pointless cash grab), at least it was in service of Woody’s proper sendoff.
With Woody out of the picture, cowgirl Jessie, not Buzz, has become the sole leader of Bonnie’s toys. Although complaints of “franchise feminization” will no doubt rise from certain circles, it at least makes sense in this case for an anthropomorphic “girl toy” to lead — well, a girl’s anthropomorphic toys. The problem, then, isn’t that the new lead character is a girl; it’s that the new lead character consistently becomes “one note” once placed outside of the toy ensemble….
Cole Powell is an arts and media commentator and award-winning singer/songwriter from Jayess, Mississippi, USA, with degrees in computer technology, liberal arts, and theology. Host Random Reactions, Words Like That, and Film Nerd by Night. https://colepowell.net