LIGHTYEAR

Perhaps the blandest film Pixar has ever released, Lightyear struggles to find a beating pulse underneath the uninspired animation.

Remember that time in the nineties when Disney used to release sub-par direct-to-video sequels and tie-ins to their most popular animated movies? Despite all the talent involved that's what new Pixar movie Lightyear reminded me of.

As perhaps the blandest film the company has ever released, Lightyear struggles to find a beating pulse throughout as it follows the adventures of the big-screen astronaut that inspired the toy Andy plays with in Toy Story.

Though many critics have taken issue with that premise itself - I am not one of them - it's mostly the execution that lets the picture down. The pacing is excruciatingly slow and predictable, the characters appear to be transferred directly from an uninspired screenwriting handbook and even the animation fails to dazzle.

Most worrying of all is the utter lack of charm and humour, the two mainstays of all the best Pixar productions. So whatever the brain trust at the company had in mind for Lightyear, it fails to materialize in what can only be called a resoundingly disappointing movie.

release: 2022

director: Angus MacLane

starring: Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Taika Waititi