LIGHTYEAR

US, 2022, 106 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Takia Waitit, James Brolin, Uzo Aduba, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Isiah Whitlock, Bill Hader, Angus McClain.

Directed by Angus MacClane.

Toy Story fans have a soft spot for astronaut, Buzz Lightyear (who was voiced by Tim Allen but now by Chris Evans, Captain America). The film opens with the information that back in 1995, young Andy chose to have Buzz as one of his toys because he watched a film about Buzz. And, we are told, this is the film. Perhaps the point is whether we would have chosen a Buzz Lightyear toy after seeing this film. Perhaps…

Really, this is a film about outer space with all kinds of spacecraft, techniques, special effects, and ease in moving about that might make the crew of the Enterprise quite envious. And, instead of Klingons, there are all kinds of robotic creatures, menacing and destructive, out there in space.

So, this starts, along with Andy’s sensibilities, as a kind of Space Boys Own Adventure with Buzz at the helm, encountering another space champion who challenges him – but he is responsible for her disappearance. Later, Buzz encounters a really oddball group, Izzy, who has great memories of her grandmother who had written a lot of books, including admiration for Buzz. Izzy has read all the books and knows who Buzz is. With enterprise, Izzy makes the film is something of a Space Girls Own Adventure.

But, it turns out, they are volunteers, with minimal training, although their first vigorous enterprise in rescuing Buzz serves them well for future action. Along with Izzy, is Derby Steel, an old tough veteran who is on parole for stealing a spacecraft, wary about picking up guns because of breaking parole! But, the oddest of all is Mo Morrison. Audiences may be wondering where Mo got his unusual accent, British? From where? But those who enjoyed the Thor movies may realise quickly, others eventually, that it is actually Taika Waititi, the prominent New Zealand comedian and director (Jo Jo Rabbit). He gets all the best funny dialogue and makes the most of it. Actually, the rival for the comedy action and lines is the robot cat, Socks, entertaining but essential for resolving the action sequences.

There are villains, there are military commanders, there is all kinds of adventures in space, Buzz a kind of by the book hero as he was in the Toy Story films, but having a soft spot and basically kind under all the earnest heroics.

Not sure that it will appeal to all the Toy Story fans or that all the action show will entertain the toddlers. But, meeting Buzz again and sharing his adventures offer animated adventure, to infinity – and beyond..

1. The popularity of Buzz Lightyear? The Toy Story films? As a space character, as a hero, yet bumbling? His own film?
2. The explanation 1995, Andy seeing this film and choosing Buzz is a toy? If we were and the then, would we?
3. The animation, space, spacecraft, action, technology? The voices, serious and comic? The team, Izzy, Darby, Mo, comic action, especially from Mo and his dithering? Socks as an entertaining robot cat, in on all the action?
4. The opening, Buzz and the mission, the commander, the rookie, dictating his memoirs, the attack, the narrow escape?
5. Buzz, and the grandmother, working together, her admiration for him, vice versa, the mission, the dangers, the effect on the grandmother? Her book and praise of Buzz?
6. Buzz, later, the encounter with Izzy and the crew, the explanations, the characters, action, comic dialogue, and meeting with Socks?
7. The range of action adventures, audience identifying, the various heroic actions, mishaps? The creatures, the enemy, the range of robots? Combating the robots?
8. The final action, Izzy and her heroism, fear of space, going to space, guided by Socks? Rescuing Buzz, buzz balancing the space ship, the landing?
9. The commander, seen from the past, his reaction to Buzz in the action, reprimanding him, then promoting him – and the team, the uniforms, Mo and his finding the pen (and the jokes about the pen throughout), Darby out on good behaviour but not with a change of attitude!
10. And their all going off to infinity – and beyond?