Toy Story 5 Review

• Exploration of Friendship & Screens
• Handling of Technology vs. Toys
• Portrayal of Parental Responsibility
• Personification of Smartphone Functions
• Definitive Conclusion/Stance on Tech
• Overall Film Quality

3.5

A Thought-Provoking Yet Safe Exploration of Modern Childhood

Toy Story 5 delves into the complexities of childhood friendships in an era dominated by screens, highlighting the impact of digital devices on social development. While the film introduces clever allegories for smartphone functions and is a successful movie overall, it struggles with portraying parental responsibility and ultimately shies away from a definitive stance on technology’s role, leading to a somewhat glossed-over conclusion on the subject.

Toy Story 5’s Missed Opportunity: A Deeper Look at Kids, Screens, and Friendship

For some time, Toy Story 5 has been a significant blip on my cultural radar. Beyond the iconic status of the Pixar brand itself, the production’s themes struck me as uniquely intriguing. I wondered how the clash between classic toys and touch-screen technology would be handled – safely, perhaps. And indeed, it is handled safely, but not in the way I anticipated.

Note: This article may contain minor plot spoilers for the film Toy Story 5.

The Virtual Friend: A New Kind of Companionship

First and foremost, the core issue addressed by Toy Story 5 isn’t solely the rivalry between traditional toys and technology. Instead, the filmmakers chose to explore the challenges children face in forming meaningful friendships when smartphones and tablets increasingly dominate their lives.

For such a dynamic to occur, children would first need to leave their homes. The film illustrates this starkly: a shot of a neighborhood where every child in a window resembles a “tablet zombie” resonates with anyone who’s observed public spaces during peak hours. The sight of neglected toys abandoned in yards perfectly hyperbolizes this situation, ensuring its impact on viewers.

In the movie, Bonnie’s parents purchase her a Lilypad tablet – a gadget all the other children already have. This device quickly monopolizes Bonnie’s attention. To prove its superiority over toys, the tablet connects Bonnie with her ballet friends. Jessie, the cowgirl, questions whether this digital connection can evolve into a true friendship. Along with Mustang, she hides in Bonnie’s suitcase and embarks on an overnight adventure with her.

The film highlights how, much like Jessie and other toys in previous installments, the Lilypad tablet almost immediately enters a mode of false protection over Bonnie. It operates on the fear of being left out. When Bonnie isn’t playing the same mini-game as her friends, the tablet does everything to isolate her from her toys, even at the expense of the 8-year-old’s well-being. This narrative touches upon the potential digital dangers children face, including pressure to conform and the impact on genuine social interaction.

This aspect of socialization is further emphasized by the film’s portrayal of online verbal abuse. At one point, Bonnie loses Jessie and Mustang, and news of this reaches her 8-year-old friends. Bonnie becomes the subject of ridicule for still playing with toys, and given her age, it’s not a natural reaction for her to simply ignore it. This point is clear, but the parents in the story aren’t depicted in the best light either.

Parental Responsibility in Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5 struggles to adequately justify why the tablet was purchased in the first place. The decision appears to be based on a single scene where Bonnie struggles to connect with other children. A few more minutes of screen time—perhaps showing failed playdates or a school montage—would have grounded this narrative choice more firmly.

As it stands, it seems Bonnie received a tablet simply because her parents saw a compelling advertisement. Had this been 2011, such a cause-and-effect might have been more believable. Today, however, we are acutely aware of how potentially harmful early exposure to this technology can be for young children, making Pixar’s lack of commentary on this moment quite noticeable.

It’s particularly striking since the 8-year-old’s parents clearly don’t manage screen time effectively from the outset. It’s difficult to imagine a responsible parent allowing such a device to be taken to a sleepover without ensuring that the caregiver would properly monitor screen time. In Toy Story 5, the concept of safeguarding a child’s well-being seems absent from the beginning, which conveniently allows the plot to unfold.

The parents’ change in approach only occurs after the damage is done, when the mother observes how the other girls have hurt Bonnie – which is decidedly too late.

The Personification of Smartphone Functions and a Missing Conclusion

Pixar’s latest work also introduces an interesting concept. At one point, Jessie encounters a group of accessories from the early 2000s and 2010s: Pierre Papier (Paper), Focia (Photo), and Atlas (Map). These characters are personifications of today’s smartphone functions: messaging, camera, and GPS, respectively.

Through these characters, Toy Story 5 attempts to convey that technology can aid in forming friendships, provided it’s used wisely. Indeed, each of these systems cleverly contributes to Bonnie’s success in finding the friend she deserves. The film also subtly suggests that technology can unnecessarily accelerate children’s maturation, which is an accurate observation.

However, the film ultimately lacks a strong, definitive conclusion. Pixar seems to shy away from taking a radical stance, suggesting that with moderation, tablets and toys can coexist harmoniously in a child’s room. While I didn’t expect a revolutionary statement from this film, it’s still a shame that the topic felt somewhat glossed over.

Beyond the technological discussion, Toy Story 5 is a very successful film. It delivers a heartwarming conclusion to several storylines from the second and third installments and features engaging scenes depicting various play scenarios. And for the adventures of the army of abandoned Buzz Lightyears alone, it’s worth watching. Be sure to catch it with the original English voice cast, as many familiar voices from previous installments have returned. For those interested in animated features, keeping an eye on streaming platforms like Netflix for top 10 movies and series can reveal similar engaging content.

Source: Original content. Opening photo: Disney / Press materials.

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Abhishek Labh

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