Review | Disney Pixar's Lightyear

“Lightyear is an absolute blast. It is an entertaining Star Wars-esque adventure with breathtaking visuals.”

“In 1995 Andy (from Toy Story) got a toy. That toy was based on a movie. This is that movie.” The first two Toy Story movies were important in my childhood. Obviously, after all this time I was very excited to see this movie about Buzz. So is Lightyear living up to the hype?

STORY

Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” Directed by Angus MacLane and produced by Galyn Susman © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Lightyear is a scifi space adventure. And as an adventure movie, it brings all the thrills and fun you would expect. While also bringing that usual Pixar craft to the story. When we think about space adventure, Star Wars and Star Trek come to mind first. And I would say that Lightyear is very much a Star Warsesque movie with a little touch of Star Trek. I say that in the best of ways. So I think it makes sense why I loved every minute of it. It has action, adventure, comedy, and emotions. It has everything. Honestly, it is fun for the whole family. Moreover, my generation will probably feel even more connected to it because we grow up with Toy Story.

Buzz is very much the character we knew from the Toy Story movies except we finally get to know his full story. He embarks on an adventure to save his team and himself who are stuck on the planet T’Kani Prime. And as expected, on his journey he encounters his nemesis Zurg. Furthermore, he also meets new friends who help him on his mission.

Although Buzz is great, SOX is the real scene stealer. He is a robot cat who is intelligent and he is so much fun. Indeed, he is the star of every scene. I guarantee after seeing the movie, you will talk about this character!

On a side note, stay until the very end of the credits because there are three credits scenes. And the last one has me hype for a sequel. So let’s support this movie and hope for the best!

REPRESENTATION

Lightyear makes history at Pixar as it features the first LGBT kiss in its feature films. Plus, Alisha Hawthorne is also their first proper lesbian character. They had tried to do something in Onward. However, that was similar to what was done in Beauty and the Beast. And by that I mean it was a joke. Though, this time Hawthorne is a proper LGBT representation in Lightyear. Her queerness is not hinted at, they make it clear she is a lesbian. She gets married and she has a happy family. Plus, she is not a background character. Hawthorne is a character who is significant to the story. It is so refreshing to see this in a Pixar movie. It was about time it happened.

Back in January, I wrote a piece about how Japanese Anime do a better job at LGBT representation than American studios. While noting that now Disney is making efforts to go in the right direction. And Lightyear is another step in this direction. I applaud Pixar for doing this. And I hope to see more LGBT characters in future Disney Pixar movies.

Moreover, we get a great representation of people of color like the Hawthorne family and Mo Morrison who is a Polynesian (also he is voiced by Taika Waititi). Even more reasons to celebrate this movie!

VISUALS

Looking back at the animation style in the very first Toy Story movie, Pixar has come a long way. Without any doubt, Lightyear is visually breathtakng. From the scenery to the ship designs and the character designs, everything is so beautiful. It is a true wonder for the eyes. For the ships, the human base, and the planet, there is a strong Star Wars vibe with a mix of Star Trek. The team had the right references, both for the story and the visuals. The lightspeed crystal is pretty much a crystal of coaxium from Star Wars.

SOUNDTRACK

Michael Giacchino is familiar with Disney and Pixar. Indeed, he has composed the score for Zootopia, Incredibles 2, Inside Out, and more. You are sure to never go wrong with him. Once again, he delivers a vibrant score that fits the tone of the movie.