Lightyear – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Lightyear – To Infinity: A Pixar Space Odyssey

Within all of us, we delight with the inner kid inside.  No matter what, there is always an escape into memories of innocence.  In that genuine thought, we always ponder and live big in our imaginations.  This is true with anything, especially for film.  In this review, I look at the latest from Pixar.  A studio known for intuitive storytelling; they take us beyond our skies into space.  Even if it is a journey filled with familiarity; Lightyear goes to infinity with family fun.   

This is a story of the unknowns of space.  With everything on the line, will Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans) be able to face certain truths and understand what it means to achieve the mission.  Pixar is a studio known for being one of the best.  With each of their films, they combine elements that appeal to adults and kids alike.  Even at their worst, their stories still provide meaningful moments.  With this latest installment, they take a specific character from the Toy Story franchise (Buzz Lightyear) and place him into his own Sci-Fi/Adventure tale.  In the beginning, we are dropped into this adventure through an epilogue that shows Buzz (and crew) traveling through space on an exploratory mission.  As specific plot driven moments happen, it leads them being marooned on a hostile planet.  Facing a level of guilt, this leads into a first act where Buzz is determined to rebuild the hyperdrive element (for the spacecraft).  We then have a series of dramatic sequence that showcases the consequences of the current situation.  As Buzz is determined to fix everything, it leads to some unforeseen consequences.  As things are leveled against familiar Sci-Fi tropes, he is left at a crossroads.  With things changing all around, he must decide what is important: achieving the mission or living on the planet.  As you watch everything unfold, there is a certain familiarity that drives underneath the visuals.  The animation of the space/action sequences are colorful and bombastic, but there is a genuine level of fragility that creates a wholesome appeal to Buzz’s perseverance.  That relevant notion helps lift above the general tropes (in the first act), creating a sense of raw emotions towards certain consequences.  As he achieves certain parameters of the mission, it leads into a new dynamic of the journey.

As Buzz is left to his own vices, he faces certain obstacles to finish the mission.  In the second act, he is left to deal with a misfit crew, a world he doesn’t understand and a new evil robotic army.  The poignancy (of the first half) is leveled with comedic elements that actualize familiar archetypes with the dynamics of the tale.  There are times where scenarios feel cheesy, predictable and sometimes cringy, but the wholesome dynamic between Buzz and the misfits helps provide a catalyst to push forward.  As things become dire and certain revelations come to light, the blending of the familiarity and drama leads into a fast paced, adrenaline-fueled third act and a hero’s triumph.  This brings everything into perspective, creating a pathway for more adventures for Buzz and crew.  Lightyear is a familiar but fun animated space odyssey.  If you a fan of Pixar, animated films or Sci-Fi/space adventures, this is for you.  I think this can be a fun time for the family at the theaters.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)