‘Lightyear’ is a lively sci-fi adventure
Anyone expecting “Lightyear” to play like a “Toy Story” spinoff may be disappointed.
The latest effort from Disney-owned Pixar Animation Studios — its first big-screen effort since 2020’s “Onward,” which ran only briefly before the novel coronavirus sent it to Disney+, where subsequent efforts “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red” have debuted — feels almost nothing like the studio’s 1995 classic. That’s more than OK. The clever, fun and often thrilling “Lightyear” has more in common with another Pixar gem, the rousing 2004 superhero adventure “The Incredibles,” with action scenes unlike anything seen in the beloved “Toy Story” or its worthwhile sequels.
After all, this movie, which is chock full of incredible visuals, is actually trying to take us “to infinity — and beyond!”
Of course, the gorgeous “Lightyear” does connect to one of that franchise’s main characters, Buzz Lightyear, a daring space explorer. Instead of the toy version, though, we get the human man on which the action figure is based.
In case you’re wondering, the new film’s link to “Toy Story” is, as we are told via opening on-screen text, that “Lightyear” is the favorite movie of the boy in “Toy Story,” Andy, and the reason the toy voiced by Tim Allen was created.
In “Lightyear,” Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear is voiced by “Captain America” himself, Chris Evans.
Buzz is on a mission roughly 4.2 light-years from earth, in an exploration vessel that he decides to reroute to the plant T’Kani Prime.
There, his commander, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment”), catches him narrating his own adventure and then must endure more of his reasons for nicknaming their ship the Turnip.
“The ship looks like a root vegetable,” he says.
“You made that very clear in the design review,” she counters.
The time for small talk quickly is over, as the swampy planet’s swarming bugs and problematic vines take a violent interest in them. Our heroes attempt to flee in the Turnip, but Buzz can’t quite execute a tricky maneuver, crashing the ship — and its myriad inhabitants — on the planet.
With the ship’s hyperspeed crystal destroyed in the process, they aren’t going anywhere without some real ingenuity — and bravery. Buzz certainly has the latter, and he sets about piloting a series of test flights in a smaller craft in an attempt to generate the speed they’ll need to get home.
They come at a cost, however. Buzz learns upon his return from the first attempt that while he was in space for four minutes, four years passed on T’Kani Prime. While others are growing comfortable with the idea that the planet will serve as their permanent home, Buzz is only further motivated to find a way to get them all back to earth.
His only constant companion as the years pass on T’Kani Prime is Sox (Peter Sohn), a therapeutic robot cat that Buzz wants nothing to do with at first but comes to depend on greatly.
The movie’s primary plotline begins when Buzz returns from a test flight to find the planet has company — violent aliens loyal to a mysterious Emperor Zurg (Josh Brolin, “Avengers: Endgame”), who resides in a huge ship above the planet.
With most of Buzz’s allies hiding behind a shield surrounding the city they’ve built, he must turn to a ragtag group of adventurers to help him defeat Zurg: Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer, “Alice”), a descendant of Alisha who’s brave except when it comes to going into space; Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi, “Free Guy”), who’s well-meaning but has a habit of quitting; and Darby Steel (Dale Soules, “Orange Is the New Black”), a tough older lady who’s done a little time.
Buzz will need to learn to lean on them for help, but it won’t be easy for him.
Co-written (with Jason Headley) by director Angnus MacLaine — the co-director of 2016’s delightful “Finding Dory” — “Lightyear” gets its science-fiction seasoning from “Star Trek” (a pinch), “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” (a scoop) and “Star Wars” (a heaping cup).
There are myriad ideas taken from a galaxy far, far away, including the endlessly entertaining Sox, who — to string the recipe metaphor a bit further — is one part C-3PO, three parts R2-D2. He’s terrified by the low odds for survival at certain points and at other times he’s feisty and useful. (He even plugs his tail into a computer to take control of it at one point. R2 would be proud.)
You can’t help but wonder if the film should have cast a more notable performer in this key voice role, but Sohn (“Ratatouille”) helps Sox get plenty of laughs.
The same can be said of the other supporting players, and Evans (“Knives Out”) proves to be a fine choice for the determined titular hero — even if many of us wouldn’t have minded hearing Allen in the role.
“Lightyear” disappoints in only one area: emotional impact. All the components needed to get you a big-time case of the feels, but the movie never manages it — despite implementing an “Up”-like montage surely was designed to hit the viewer harder than it does.
Nonetheless, “Lightyear” succeeds in exploring the theme of what makes life worth living. Buzz certainly gains some perspective when the adventure is done.
Most importantly, Pixar’s return to theaters is a blast from beginning to end.
“Lightyear” is rated PG for action/peril. Runtime: