Space ranger Buzz Lightyear must help a squad of rookies fight
off a robot invasion before they steal his precious fuel source. FAMILY/SCI-FI
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Lightyear (2022)Directed by Angus MacLane
Written by Jason Headley and Angus MacLane Starring Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Taika Waititi, Dale Soules, James Brolin, Uzo Aduba Spin-Off of 1995's Toy Story |
I was very surprised at the amount of pushback Lightyear received this past summer. I would've thought a spin-off of Pixar's most successful franchise starring one of their most recognizable and beloved characters would've been a surefire hit. But nope. It bombed hard, fell on Disney Plus, and was never talked about again. And you know the worst part? It's not bad. It doesn't step on Toy Story's toes, it's fun and full of surprises, and Chris Evans does a top notch Buzz. I don't understand why everyone said no to this one.
Buzz Lightyear (Evans) is a space ranger who screws up bad, leaving his crew marooned on an alien planet without a fuel crystal. They spend a year trying to replicate a fuel source, and when Buzz tests it to see if it can fly at hyperspeed, he realizes he spent four years in space. Buzz becomes determined to perfect the fuel source, spending decades in space until one day, he returns to find a robot invasion led by a villain called Zurg (Brolin). Buzz must work with a squad of rookies to stop Zurg and save his people, while also learning a bit about himself along the way because that's the Pixar way. Lightyear boasts gorgeous animation, dedicated voice talent, a pretty decent twist, and a lot of nods to the Toy Story franchise. I love that this is supposed to be the movie that made Andy want a Buzz Lightyear toy for his birthday. Give it a chance. Pixar has earned the benefit of the doubt, and while this isn't one of their die-hard masterpieces, it's still a fun movie. |