LIGHTYEAR blasts in to theaters July 17th with some stunning visuals and surprising, scene stealing characters. You have heard the saying, “looks aren’t everything”? Sadly with this film it almost is.
Toy Story fans need a good origin story and this one about the space ranger Buzz Lightyear is not a bad option. The back story is well conceived, and the character interaction heartwarming and emotional. But something happened in the process that left this movie stalled on the launch pad.
While spending years attempting to return home, marooned Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) encounters an army of ruthless robots commanded by Zurg who are attempting to steal his fuel source.
There is an entire community that needs help getting off the rock and Buzz is driven t succeed. There are circumstances that take place over the course of time which will not be spoiled here. Leave it to say there are lessons for Buzz to learn along the way.
There are two standout parts of this film that make it bearable. Maybe three.
The first and foremost being an android cat companion named Sox. Without Sox the comedy would be non-existent. But thanks to this funny feline there are several hilarious moments. If Disney hasn’t already started a Sox shorts series on Disney Plus it would be surprising. Another favorite character is Ranger Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba). Her and Buzz went up the ranks together and a better friend he could not have. Her story line in this one is sweet, touching, and the emotional layer we need.
What is void of emotion is Buzz. To be the title character you would expect him to stand out. Instead he is the weakest link. He is robotic, and what is intended for passion or intensity comes across poorly. You feel as if his character is only there as a reason to create all the other people. If you were to list the top 5 memorable characters in the film he would be 6th.
LIGHTYEAR is a pretty film though. Pixar again proves why they are masters of animation.
The space scenes are consuming, and the attention to detail on every level is sublime. So there you have it. Pretty and a funny cat. That sums up this new adventure. I understand the desire for Pixar to want this seen on the big screen, but if ever a movie was perfect fro straight to Disney+ streaming it would be this one. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. My 10-year old gave it 4.7… for Sox.
About The Author
