- The Toy Story franchise has long been known for its critical success, but the upcoming fifth instalment seems to be breaking that trend.
- The new Pixar film has now been recorded as the lowest-rated movie in the series on Rotten Tomatoes.
- The film sits at 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
The Toy Story franchise has long been known for its critical success, but the upcoming fifth instalment seems to be breaking that trend. The new Pixar film has now been recorded as the lowest-rated movie in the series on Rotten Tomatoes.
With the review embargo lifted before Toy Story 5's theatrical release on June 19, critics' responses are now public. The film sits at 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While a stellar score, it is still the lowest in the series so far. That drop says more about the franchise's near-perfect track record across the first four films than it does about any negative reaction to the fifth.
For comparison, the original Toy Story and Toy Story 2 both hold 100% critic scores. Toy Story 3 has a 98% rating, with Toy Story 4 closely behind at 97% score.
While a 93% score is still strong, Toy Story 5 falls short of several Pixar releases from the past decade. Hoppers and Coco both earned 97% from critics this year, while Turning Red and Soul landed at 95%. Finding Dory scored 94% and Incredibles 2 matched the 93% mark.
Directed by Academy Award-winner Andrew Stanton and co-directed by McKenna Harris, Toy Story 5 addresses a highly contemporary conflict of analogue toys going head-to-head with digital screen time.
The story picks up a few years after the fourth instalment and focuses on an eight-year-old Bonnie Anderson who is navigating the social pressures of growing up. She begins turning her attention away from traditional toys in favour of electronics, online games and group chats.
The antagonist is not inherently evil but represents a systemic shift. Greta Lee voices Lilypad, a highly addictive smart tablet device. Lilypad arrives with disruptive ideas about what is best for Bonnie, leaving Buzz, Woody and Jessie worried that traditional playtime is becoming completely obsolete.
The cast brings back Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear and Joan Cusack as Jessie the Cowgirl.