Toy Story 2 (1999) Reviewed by Eugene Novikov http://www.ultimate-movie.com Member: Online Film Critics Society
Featuring the voice talents of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Wayne Knight. Rated G.
Toy Story 2 is the family film to end all family films (sans The Lion King, which is untouchable). It's a profound masterpiece of wit and truth that should exhilirate kids and non-snobbish adults (read: those who don't mind being touched by messages a ten-year-old can grasp) alike. It's wholesome entertainment, alright -- the best example of it in years -- but it doesn't take the form of a preachy diatribe like so many "lesson movies" have over the years, instead, the filmmakers devote their efforts to giving us a rollicking good time. We got it.
Produced by the enormously successful Pixar Disney division, this is the sequel (duh) to the (almost) equally terrific 1995 hit Toy Story. While the two certainly have some plot similarities, I was impressed at just how different this was; like the best sequels, it expands on the concept of the original rather than merely retreading it. It involves a rescue mission, just like the first one, but this time, we go to Infinity and Beyond. You see, Woody (voice of Tom Hanks has been stolen by "Big Al" (Wayne Knight) because apparently, Woody is a valuable doll. In fact a long time ago, Woody even had his own tv show, he just didn't know it. Now, he and three companion toys are to be sent away for display in a museum.
It's up to Buzz Lightyear and his pals to rescue Woody from Big Al's materialistic grasp, and for that, they must journey 19 blocks (!) and seek out "Big Al's Toy Barn," a Toys R' Us-ish plaything megastore. This leads to a genius scene in the toy store itself, with a Buzz impostor, a Barbie tourguide and, of course, a Darth Vader-style supervillain. It's not long before they realize that the place where woody is hidden is actually across the street in Big Al's office and go there -- only to be followed by Buzz Lightyear's arch nemesis.
Meanwhile, Woody faces a spectacularly profound moral dilemma: should he stay with his new friends and go to the museum, where he will probably be marveled at forever or should he try to go back to Andy who, in all likelyhood, will get over his affection for him and throw him away before long? This has more substance than most "adult" movies can even hope for -- certainly more thoughtful and complex than some of this year's "deep" movies, like Fight Club or The Insider -- and it is developed beautifully, not letting a single opportunity go to waste. Gracefully, it speaks to children about faith, loyalty, decision making, abandonment and more in one fell swoop. It talks to them on their level, without condescending, simplifying or spelling anything out; it respects their intelligence and ours. Ergo, adults can appreciate it even more than their kids.
Pixar's computer animation, though it has lost some of its novelty since the breakthrough of the original Toy Story, is still rapidly developing, and Toy Story 2 takes it to new heights. After Antz and A Bug's Life took the computer graphics so close to reality that we thought it couldn't get any richer, this new flick takes it yet another step further. The characters are so real that they're surreal, as if we're in a parallel universe rather than a cartoon. It's a marvelous experience, akin to being given a peek of a new world we've never seen before and may never see again.
Besides being profound, Toy Story 2 is exceptionally witty, with adult- oriented jabs at Star Wars, Barbie, tv remote controls, et al. It's a nice reversal from 1999's earlier Disney animated feature Tarzan, which had almost nothing to engage adults. This recalls the wonderful Hercules, which threw more mature gags at the audience (the "Grecian Express" credit card?) fast enough to make my head spin.
Is "masterpiece" too strong a word for Toy Story 2? Is it appropriate to use that moniker for a family movie? My answers are no and yes. See the movie and come up with your own but don't dismiss it because it's a cartoon.
Grade: A
©1999 Eugene Novikov
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