Lightyear
Legendary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside a group of ambitious recruits and his robot companion Sox.
- Released: 2022-06-15
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Genre: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy
- Stars: Chris Evans, Mu Leen, Taika Waititi, Keke Palmer, Dale Soules, Peter Sohn, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Keira Hairston, Bill Hader, Angus MacLane, Carlos Alazraqui, Kimberly Bailey, William Calvert, June Christopher, David Cowgill, Terri Douglas, Jackie Gonneau, Rif Hutton, Matthew Yang King, Stephanie Komure, Piotr Michael, Cristina Milizia, Arthur Ortiz, Jacqueline Pinol, Griffin Puatu, Shane Sweet, Debra Wilson, Matthew Wood, Cory Yee, Ruth Zalduondo, Debra Wilson, François Civil, Michaël Grégorio, Lyna Khoudri, Chantal Ladesou, Jean Barney, Georges Caudron, Virginie Emane, Frantz Confiac, Pauline Moulène, Volodia Serre, Lionel Lingelser, Donald Reignoux, Juliette Davis
- Director: Angus MacLane
Comments
- waltuhputyourdawaywaltuh-84146 - 1 July 2024
The worst Pixar movie ever
This is the worst Pixar movie ever made and probably be made either, this is a clear cash-in on nostalgia. And the worst part is it's luring us into thinking that this will be an epic ride filled with action scenes and emotion. The movie itself is so boring I wanted to fall asleep 20 minutes, the Buzz Lightyear in the movie is NOT the same Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story franchise, instead it's this boring generic rando with little personality traits, if this is the movie that inspired Andy to buy a Buzz Lightyear toy then he clearly has no taste in film. The villain is hilariously awful, retcons many of the things said in the original Toy Story movies and overall a waste of space. The new characters are so forgettable i'm not going to even bother naming them. The only, and I mean THE ONLY reason why this isn't a one is because the visuals can be intriguing and I kind of like the climax of this. That's it, there's no reason to watch this movie. - fernandoschiavi - 2 February 2024
"Lightyear" emphasis on the importance of friendship, a message that hasn't aged a day since the franchise's first release
The structure of the production does not allow it to be marked by the excitement of elaborate action sequences or surprising twists. Even though it makes clever use of the famous Pixar formula - in which the protagonist matures while returning home -, the script leaves something to be desired in terms of inspiration. It doesn't take much effort to imagine where the plots will go as soon as they appear. Especially because many of the conflicts that drive Buzz and his friends boil down to the need to reach a certain object to perform a certain function. This lack of ingenuity is so great that the production constantly uses the cute robotic kitten Sox to resolve its conflicts, as a kind of master key capable of getting the heroes past any obstacle.
Fortunately, the production is smarter than it seems and transforms Lightyear into a dazzling cinematic experience that skirts its protagonist's lukewarm journey with a passionate dive into science fiction. The influence of classics of the genre shines through the film, which proves to be a true love letter to sci-fi. More than a "Toy Story in space", the feature draws from the most varied sources, ranging from "Star Wars" to "Interstellar", including "Cowboy Bebop", to take the audience on a journey that appropriates some of the best aspects of such a broad vein. The story becomes epic by visually translating all the grandeur of this distant universe. The enchantment provided by futuristic machines, alien planets and space travel is constructed with such care that it becomes impossible not to marvel at the new stages of the space saga. In this way, Lightyear once again pays homage to the Star Wars saga created by George Lucas more than 20 years after "Toy Story 2" played with the connection between Buzz and his enemy Zurg. This care also extends to the film's supporting cast. More than comic relief, the characters have their own journeys and characteristics that go beyond the task of helping Buzz fulfill his mission. Buzz thinks he's better off alone, and continually rejects the new team life throws his way, but eventually realizes that his advanced equipment and intelligence won't be able to get him to the finish line. Teamwork, yes.
Although helped by all the visual spectacle once again created by Pixar animators, and with all the fun it offers, it is in the story that lies the greatest asset of "Lightyear", which plays with adult themes in an animation that works for everyone the ages. This can be seen when it shows the interests of large companies, whether space or not, and how much issues of personal benefit override those of collective benefit. At a certain point, the astronaut is faced with a meaner version of himself and has to confront him, knowing that he is a threat and not believing that he would become such an individual in the future.
Despite being a fun film, you can't help but be touched by seeing Buzz watching everyone grow old and, consequently, knowing that no one will be left by his side when he returns to Earth, if he manages to do so. The script brings an important lesson, clear enough that it is not only understood by adult viewers. It is a message that reaches everyone, and that brings a sense of accomplishment to the audience, who throughout the exhibition ends up feeling part of the team. Each of the members of this team even has their own charm. Izzy Hawthorne, granddaughter of Buzz's best friend, is someone who makes up for in motivation what she lacks in experience, being a light counterpoint to the protagonist's serious side; Darby Steel joins the team just to try to reduce his prison sentence, but he still uses all possible resources to help the mission, with a very welcome dry humor, Maurice joins the team without a purpose in life and ends up finding his long-awaited self-confidence, but the highlight is without a shadow of a doubt, Sox, the robot cat that Buzz receives as a gift to serve as emotional comfort, and who ends up being a support in every way for the patrolman, in addition to providing the funniest and cutest moments of the game. Long. And it is no surprise that the antagonist of "Lightyear" is Zurg, a Darth Vader-like figure already presented in the "Toy Story" franchise, but the approach given to the villain in this story is interesting (and perhaps even unexpected), although there was potential for more depth. The moment of confrontation between the two in the film ends up being its weakest point, however, it makes room for an inspired and very well executed conclusion.
Even so, with all these references, the script from start to finish presents episodic problems for the protagonist, making it clear that his mission is secondary, in each scene he has a different specific objective which, after being overcome, opens the way to yet another problem and so on. Onwards. The last three Pixar films ("Soul", "Luca" and "Red"), all excellent, were released directly on streaming, but among them "Lightyear" is the one that looks more like TV instead of cinema, its story has more of a moment in which problems are presented and resolved immediately, like the giant insect sequence in the middle, or Izzy's fear of flying. The film's moral comes very quickly and we spend more than an hour watching Buzz learn the same lesson over and over again, with none of the sensitivity that the studio's films have in creating a dialectic between the script's thesis and its characters. Therefore, "Lightyear" feels like several films (the same moral is told several times) and not just one work.
Despite some fun moments that will certainly be a hit with the public (like all the scenes with the mechanical cat Sox), "Lightyear" leaves something to be desired in more than one element and gives the impression of a lot of insecurity in trying to use a character very beloved by the public. The end of one of Pixar's best sequences came with "Lightyear", designed to be a blockbuster but which may not even achieve successful status with the public due to its insecurities that make it predictable and bureaucratic, much less repeat the warm critical reception that their predecessors had. Nowadays, more and more projects are getting the green light solely because they are derived from already successful intellectual properties, based on the idea of easy returns. Most of them end up being soulless films or series, and continuous exposure to this type of product makes us suspicious, skeptical about the possibility of something really being genuine.
"Lightyear" has a very important factor, which brings it closer to "Toy Story": the emphasis on the importance of friendship. As cliché as the theme has become, it is strong enough to fill this journey through worlds beyond imagination. Taking care to never seem didactic, the film shows in practice how, sometimes, building bridges and trusting those around us can save us from becoming the worst version of ourselves. A message that hasn't aged a day since the franchise's first release, and that's strong enough to sustain endless adventures - and beyond.
