Where others may have seen cynicism at Disney cashing in on an origin story that arguably doesn't need to exist, I saw potential for Disney/Pixar to wow us with Lightyear.
From the get-go, I was hoping for a perhaps more "serious" adventure with lots of science fiction elements, just happening to contain everyone's favorite Space Ranger.
Technically speaking, I got what I wanted more than I anticipated - Lightyear has elements of Interstellar, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and hell, even Starship Troopers at its core. Despite combining elements from all of those films, it never quite reaches greatness and I can't quite put my finger on why.
This origins story (of a sort) gives us insight into Buzz Lightyear through his adventures in space. After making a mistake and marooning an entire human colony on a hostile planet, Buzz tries desperately to "finish the mission" by hoping to solve their fuel problem - finding the right mix to get a stable crystal to achieve 100% Hyper Speed. Aside from how cool the crystal "building" design choices are (I honestly don't know why I was so obsessed with their fuel, but it's awesome) this initial sequence is some classic Pixar. More mature in tone, surprising in its depth, and emotionally resonant.
The overall plot - featuring lots of time travel/slippage in surprising ways - becomes somewhat less interesting the more it leans into its message. The message isn't a bad one: people make mistakes and sometimes it's okay to ask for help to fix them. BUT, maybe the thing I can't quite put my finger on is the fact the 1 hour and 45 minute film just keeps hitting you over the head with that sentiment. It doesn't feel as clever as other Pixar tales because its outright telling Buzz every 5-10 minutes that it's okay to ask for help. In the grand scheme of a fairly awesome sci-fi plot, that's not a huge deal, but it is a difference maker if you're comparing it to the Toy Stories before it.
 |
| Cue the Matthew McConaughey crying scene... |
 |
| MVP! MVP! |
But that's all a lot of complaining for a film that I enjoyed quite a bit. Aside from the aforementioned sci-fi elements, the central performances are great with Chris Evans and Uzo Aduba being my MVPs (along with Peter Sohn as Sox). Visuals are astounding more often than not, with there being really impressive sequences throughout and...cinematography (reigniting the debate: is it cinematography if its a SFX/animated shot?). The original score does a better job the more it sits with me and I unrealistically wanted Interstellar-like musical accompaniment, but I'm not sure they were about to drown out Lightyear with organ pipes so...Throughout the movie, there are moments - like the beginning - where all of this is melding perfectly and Lightyear does bridge the gap from "good" to "great".
While not joining the hall of Pixar classics, Lightyear does have a lot more to offer than other "cash in" Pixar films like various Cars and Monsters University before it. There's a neat science fiction story at its center, a cast of likable characters, and enough humor to get several laughs, plus it looks incredible. Just don't expect it to go all the way "to infinity and beyond".
CONS
- Handful of jokes fall really flat
- Kind of beats you over the head with its message. Good message, just not subtle
- Feels like it is missing something to really make it a classic
- Very neat sci-fi elements, most encapsulated in an opening sequence that is one of Pixar's best
- Able to hit the heartstrings when it needs to
- Strong cast and Evans takes over the role of Lightyear with ease
- Stunning visuals and direction
- Can be very funny, often due to Sox
- Not too long, 1hr 45min feels just right
- Good, sometimes great original score
Rath's Review Score | 7.5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment