Toy Story 5: A Nostalgic Closure for Jessie That Pixar Nailed Again - Film Review

Toy Story 5 is the Closure we Needed For Jessie | Film Review

Toy Story 5 balances the challenges of accepting the past and adapting to the changes in the future. The conflict between toys and tech in this feature mirrors reality in the most self aware approach, the audience knows the tech is infiltrating the new generations childhood but there is a way to coexist. Toy Story 5 explores this idea, the idea that toys and technology can invent a new form of play. A new approach to childhood and growing up that doesn’t isolate or alienate children. 

Alongside the toys vs tech storyline, we have the glue holding the film’s plot together in the form of Jessie. We finally get to have closure for Jessie’s tragic backstory and this film answers those long awaited questions, what happened to Emily? What is Jessie’s purpose? Jessie’s storyline makes Toy Story 5 a favourite edition to the franchise for me. She sings in this film, her character has been a guide into adulthood for us all and now we get to see just how important she is. 

Toy Story 5, unlike its predecessor Toy Story 4 is perfectly balanced in its approach to both toy crisis and human crisis. Jessie feels useless, Buzz feels neglected, Woody feels replaced and Bonnie feels lonely. Each of these stories gets their moment in this feature and this film is angled almost as girl power focused film. Bonnie tackles her insecurities, the challenges of growing up, fitting in and the heartbreaking reality of bullying whilst Jessie does everything in her power to help her. 

After 30 years of storytelling, the Toy Story franchise feels like it’s slowing down but Toy Story 5 injects new life and meaning into the characters purpose. Toy Story 4 remains a bump on the road, it added too many new focus characters and separated the group into fractured storylines. Toy Story 5 reclaims the films meaning, helping their kids and if you’ve grown up with these stories this film will feel nostalgic for it, it’ll feel like home. 

Toy Story 5 rehashes and re-establishes the moral of the whole franchise. We all have to grow up and as heartbreaking as that reality can be, it’s also quite beautiful. As an adult watching Toy Story 5 in a theatre with families and young children, it brought tears to my eyes. It is very special to grow up with something so meaningful, a saga of films that helped you grow and now have the power to do that for someone else. 

I stand by the idea that we didn’t need Toy Story 4 or 5 and the franchise could have happily ended after the third film but I remain pleasantly surprised by this fifth instalment. Toy Story 5 (2026) had comedy, it had meaning, it had impact, it’s memorable and it sticks the landing. 

Toy Story 5 mirrors reality, it holds a mirror up to society and the evolution of childhood. Children now are expected to have technology integrated into their lives, they are expected to have social media and to share their lives on the internet but this expectation comes at a cost. Toy Story 5 isn’t trying to say technology is bad, it is trying to say it can be a vessel for bad behaviour. Children deserve to be kids, they deserve to have fun and not be influenced by the negativity and scrutiny that naturally comes with social media. Bonnie has a beautifully heartbreaking storyline in this feature, she is a victim of bullying but later finds her confidence. 

Technology isn’t the real villain of childhood, devices aren’t going anywhere. We need to adapt but the film explores the dangers of isolating your children, not understand the signs of bullying or how addictive the internet can be. Technology is consuming and this film shares that it shouldn’t replace play, it shouldn’t replace real friendships and relationships. 

I personally loved the marooned Buzz’s storyline, I thought it was a light hearted relief amongst the more emotional arcs of the films plot. 

Overall, Toy Story 5 feels like a perfect addition to the franchise. Buzz and Woody have both had their realisations, they’ve had their moment but this film is all about Jessie and rightfully so. It feels like the perfect time to reflect on Jessie’s life, her purpose as a toy and her impact on Bonnie. Pixar never fail to impress me, their ability to create nostalgia, their ability to harness comedy in the most heartbreaking moments. The Pixar team have outdone themselves once again and although I didn’t think I wanted this film, I needed it. 

Probe Points

★★★★☆