Lightyear Review

Even after four theatrical films, a couple of TV specials, and some shorts, Pixar is still invested in the Toy Story franchise. For the first time in over twenty years, Pixar is revisiting the in-universe world of Buzz Lightyear. Unlike Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Pixar is taking a more grounded approach to the titular character and the world-building. However, the filmmakers managed to retain the charm of Buzz Lightyear the toy and make a film that appeals to a kid like Andy Davis.

Like the world-building in the Toy Story universe and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, the plot is meant to be simplistic and reminiscent of classic sci-fi films. While the film manages to emulate the fun and charm of space franchises such as Star Wars and Star Trek, it doesn’t go “to infinity and beyond” in terms of creativity in the story. By Pixar standards, the film contains a simple story with standard plot points that doesn’t leave much room for complexity. However, one exception in this film is the amount of depth of Buzz’s character arc. The film delivers a message about not being stuck in the past and knowing when to move on to something else. Juxtaposed to that compelling arc are generic arcs about Buzz being able to work with others and his teammates needing to find their true strength. While these rehashed arcs aren’t detrimental due to the simplistic plot elements, it’s somewhat disappointing for these arcs by Pixar standards. Unfortunately, the emotional weight isn’t as strong as it was in Onward as a means of making the generic elements feel less problematic. If one is looking for an escapist space adventure with minor sprinkles of Pixar complexity and depth, this film serves that purpose well.

With a more simplistic premise, the character roster isn’t as large, but the smaller cast allows for a greater focus on the titular character. The human Buzz Lightyear serves as a perfect companion to his toy counterpart, with lines of dialogue and acting that gel perfectly. Chris Evans gives an outstanding performance that combines the comedic elements of Tim Allen’s Buzz with his own serious edge. Buzz has great chemistry with Alisha Hawthorne, with some of the more emotional elements involving the two characters together. Sox, Buzz’s robot cat companion, steals the show with plenty of comedic moments and compassion for Buzz’s wellbeing. The other space rangers are generic archetypes, but the performances of their respective voice actors make them engaging enough. Zurg starts off as a menacing mystery, with an interesting reveal that shakes up his motivations for going after Buzz.

Continuing the high-quality production value of Pixar’s films, this film takes the galactic elements of the toy Buzz Lightyear and makes it feel more grounded. The realistic approach of Buzz’s “temporary” home world doesn’t lend itself to a diverse color palette. When the characters venture outside of the main location, there’s more diversity in colors and creating an interesting juxtaposition. The space ranger suits look appealing and serve as a perfect balance between realism and fantasy. Buzz and his fellow space rangers have appealing designs that have the right balance of exaggeration and realism. Like other elements of classic sci-fi, the action is engaging with some callbacks to the Toy Story films. Michal Giacchino once again creates another strong score for a Pixar film, with the music adding to the world-building of the film.

Overall, Lightyear is an entertaining sci-fi adventure that would rather stay in its comfort zone rather than try something new. The story and characters follow similar tropes to those of classic sci-fi films, with these choices serving as a double-edge sword of quality. The titular character makes the film stand out, with homages to the Toy Story franchise and elements that give more depth to the character. Meanwhile, the production value compliments the grounded sci-fi storytelling. While it may not be on par with Pixar’s usual standards of complexity, it serves the purpose of being a fun and adventure-filled space adventure like those of the past.

SCORE: 8/10