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To say that Lightyear is a prequel to Toy Story feels like a misrepresentation of what the story is. It does technically take place before Toy Story because it is the movie that Andy saw in 1993 that caused his mother to buy him the action figure, however aside from the titular character, there is very little in common with the original film. Unfortunately, the movie falls completely flat with visuals that do not live up to the expectations that one would have from a Pixar film.
Lightyear opens on an intergalactic star ship that is coming out of hyperspace to explore an unknown planet. Due to Buzz’s arrogance, the ship ends up marooned on the planet without fuel to go back home. In an attempt to help move the experiment along, Buzz volunteers as the test pilot to experiment with new fuel types and, because of time dilation, ends up about a century in the future with an alien spaceship in orbit around the base which needs to be destroyed so he can get home. If this seems like a lot, it is because the movie decided that this did not need to be split into two films and one would suffice.
The first real issue that a viewer will bump into is that the character arc that Buzz goes through in here is virtually identical to his character arc in Toy Story. Logically, this would make sense because the Buzz in Toy Story is based on his characterization in the movie, however it does not make for an interesting viewing experience. Since almost 30 years ago viewers saw Buzz learn humility, seeing him do the exact same thing again is not entertaining.
The second issue is that too much of the story is focused on before Buzz is transported into the future while the emotional climax of the movie if focused on Buzz accepting the assistance of the untrained non-Space Rangers and learning to trust them. Because these characters do not get introduced until a considerable amount of time into the moment, they feel less like characters and more like archetypes designed for Buzz to accept. When Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins handled the similar plotline, it made the other characters feel like they had an actual purpose beyond just being obstacles.
The movie also has some of the most mundane examples of alien worlds put to screen in animation. While it is refreshing that the alien world does not fall into the similar mono-biome trappings that most other science fiction settings find themselves, however the world’s jungle environments are not interesting in the slightest. In a world where this film is prefaced by a trailer for Disney’s November feature Strange Worlds with unique and interesting environments and creatures, it is easy to compare the two and see which looks better.
Despite retreading similar story arcs, there are a few fun moments. Because the toy is based on Buzz in this movie there are a number of dialogue callbacks that are fun moments for viewers. Newcomer Socks, a robotic emotional support cat, also provides some interesting and funny moments throughout the film. That said, there isn’t anything about this movie that categorically demands a theatrical viewing and audiences will have just as enjoyable an experience if they wait the 45 days for the movie to go to Disney+.
Final Rating: 6/10
