Woody and the gang round up once again for another adventure with Toy Story 5, directed by Pixar vet Andrew Stanton. It’s a win for me because the film delivers a story many people can relate to and some genuinely funny humor, though I’m starting to wonder if it’s time to finally let these adventures go.
The film has earned high acclaim for its timely themes about children and technology. In the latest entry, the toys find themselves in a new era of play, where tech rules households and kids no longer pick up a toy. When Lilypad, a new tablet device, reaches Bonnie, the toys fight to protect her from the harms of screen dependency.
The animated franchise transcends nostalgia, appealing to generations beyond the original 1995 hit. With merchandise sales and a massive presence in the Disney Parks, it’s not hard to see why Disney keeps coming back to these characters. Even so, though their charm and relatability remain unmatched. But is that enough to warrant a fifth outing?
Taking place after Woody’s departure in Toy Story 4, Bonnie continues playing with all of Andy’s old toys. It feels like classic Toy Story as we watch each character take on a different role in her creative world. I loved Stanton’s beautiful pastel vision, seeing the gang in a softer palette away from the real world. That visual shift reminded me of the opening sequence in Toy Story 3, while also signaling something distinct about who’s playing with these toys now.
It was clear that no matter how solid Toy Story 4 felt, a fifth outing needed a fresh take. At some point in any franchise, you have to push expectations and let the world and characters grow. 5 feels that way all around. Instantly, we learn of Bonnie’s biggest struggle when she notices the twins next door. She freezes and hides. Bonnie is afraid of making friends. Taking over for Woody as room Sheriff, Jessie springs into action, determined to get the twins to play with Bonnie. When that plan fails, she hops on Bullseye and heads to the twins’ house, only to find no toys. Just tablets. No interaction. And of course, Bonnie’s parents order a Lilypad, hoping it’ll help her socialize.
Bonnie begins to change from the moment she starts using the tablet. This offers a visceral depiction of the hold technology can have, especially when introduced at a young age. As the toys become neglected, Jessie confronts Lilypad in a scene that echoes the original film’s Woody-meets-Buzz moment, and of course, it doesn’t go well. From there, Lilypad virtually connects Bonnie to other tablet users, cutting off the very relational connection that matters most. Fearful, Jessie taps Woody, who returns to help.
The film does a great job setting the table as all of this unfolds. Still, it loses me a little once Jessie and Bullseye get lost trying to help Bonnie at a sleepover.
A really cool connection point comes when Jessie and Bullseye arrive at her old owner Emily’s house. The moment doesn’t quite land emotionally, though, because we quickly learn Emily no longer lives there. Instead, a new family with a girl named Blaze finds Jessie and Bullseye. Blaze turns out to be just as whimsical as Bonnie, but super confident in who she is.
Still determined, still relentless, Jessie continues to fight to find a way home while encountering a few electronic devices she grew up with: Smarty Pants (a potty-training device), Atlas, a GPS receiver, and Snappy, a camera.
I loved what the writers were building here, but the characters themselves didn’t fully land for me. Their dynamic shows what it looks like when electronics serve a positive purpose, but beyond their role in getting Jessie back to Bonnie, their overall presence wasn’t my favorite. That said, watching Jessie witness how helpful they’ve been to Blaze begins shifting how Jessie views tech.
In Toy Story 5, Woody becomes more of a background character, which leaves space for Jessie’s arc to fully unravel. There are moments where the absence of the iconic Woody-and-Buzz dynamic is felt, though the two still deliver the nostalgic Toy Story vibes as they wrestle over who’s the real leader of the group.
Even more nostalgia? The film leans on the Jessie-and-Emily relationship to bring the story home, and that’s where the real heart is. Jessie’s backstory is handled with impressive care, reminding us that trauma and pain don’t just disappear. When Bonnie starts slipping away, it triggers every bit of the abandonment Jessie carried from Emily. It isn’t until she finds the special place she and Emily once shared that she finds peace. In that beautiful moment, Jessie discovers that Emily has grown up and has a daughter named Jessie – a full-circle moment for our cowgirl as she realizes her impact on a child was far greater than she ever imagined. Kids grow up and move on from toys, but what about the impact of playtime? That stays. Forever.
The last act finds its groove and the ending sticks the landing: tear-jerking, earned, worthy. Lilypad realizes her value lies in creating real connection, not in replacing it. Jessie leads the charge in reuniting Lilypad with Bonnie, and Bonnie finally meets the one person Jessie always knew she could be friends with, Blaze.
There’s an interesting duality in Toy Story 5’s take on technology. It isn’t perfect, and the charm of the original trilogy isn’t as present as I’d have liked, which makes me wonder if it’s time to finally let these characters go. But there’s still some very good storytelling here. It doesn’t just scream “TECH IS BAD.” It raises real, present questions about how our kids are actually engaging with technology. Lilypad did separate Bonnie from her other toys that encourage imaginative play, fine motor skills, and problem-solving. At the same time, Lilypad also helped to save the day. It’s less about the technology itself and more about how responsibly one is using it. And truthfully, that responsibility doesn’t fall on Bonnie but on her parents. The movie would’ve been worse had it turned preachy, but instead, Stanton and crew find the right balance to close this one out. And yeah, I’d be okay if this was the final film in the franchise.
Toy Story 5 is now playing in theaters.
No Comment! Be the first one.