@travmoody
Disclaimer: Toy Story 4 is my first Toy Story film.
Yeah– what the hell, Moody! But, hey, at least this review comes from a fresh perspective. More importantly, I witnessed Toy Story 4 in the 4DX format. Watching the movie’s opening chase sequence and plethora of carnival ride scenes urged me to think this was made with 4DX in mind. More likely, things just worked out that way. While one of the more tepid experiences (Detective Pikachu and Godzilla: King of the Monsters‘ fourth-dimensional effects blow this one out of the water) 4DX has to offer, Toy Story 4 still has the right amount of seat movement, water sprays and lighting effects for the youngest moviegoer…
You don’t want your kid in the hospital, do you? All joking aside, taking your kids, your kid’s kids or your kid brother’s kids to Toy Story 4 in 4DX is a great, cost-effective alternative to Disneyland. They’ll enjoy the chair swaying up to the skies, seat merry-go-rounding to the film’s various rollercoaster and ferris wheel locales, and zoom-zooming of chase scenes– and there’s a lot of them. Fireworks have cool light flashes in the theater corners, too. I was surprised how light the water sprays were, though, considering the first scene takes place in the rain. There isn’t a whole lot of splash to Toy Story 4, but usually water is a fun effect for children. They could’ve added more sprays, me thinks.
One of the new 4DX effects that caught my attention are the pitter-pattering of carriage steps during a late-movie carnival get-away sequence. I love when the good folks over at the 4DX labs get creative and deliver something new to the format. You could really feel the bottom of your seat clump, clu-clump! I was also stunned by the amount of back-punch effects thrown in this 4DX, despite the movie’s surprising amount of fight sequences. I know. Toy Story. Fight sequences. I need a super late-pass to the franchise, so you tell me. Guess don’t mess wit’ lil’ Bo Peep (Annie Potts), y’alls.
Keanu Reeves is someone everyone is messing with right now. So it’s no shock to see America’s latest Sweetheart own his part as Dook Kaboom (think an “extra” Evel Knievel); the ultra charismatic Hollywood motorcycle stuntman has a deep layer of characterization too, with tons of self-doubt until Peep puts Dook in his place and sets him up for the spotlight. Keanu’s scenes are among the best, along with the rib-tickling comedy of Bunny & Ducky’s Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. Although the three characters often feel like a sideshow in comparison to the big roadtrip story with Woody (Tom Hanks) and new toychest-owning child Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw), it’s a welcomed comic relief.
Despite having no prior experience to compare this weekend’s new — and supposedly final — Toy Story to the previous three, I recommend its enjoyable balance of thrilling chases, nuanced comedy, and heart-warming story. Toy Story 4 is one of the year’s funniest films (and many of the best jokes come during the post-credits scenes), a solid roadtrip script centered around new villain, Gabby Gabby (an admirably sympathetic, yet creepy Christina Hendricks) and trash-toy, Forky (Veep‘s Tony Hale is outstanding as a talking.. spork with pipe-cleaning biceps), and a whole toy store full of action bits complimented just right in 4DX. Take the kids!
Movie = 3.75/5
4DX for Adults = 3.5/5
4DX for Kids = 4.25/5
-Travis Moody