The spin-off of the Toy Story series is about pursuing goals, without wasting time
One of the most anticipated Disney Pixar’s spin-offs hits Italian and American cinemas this week: Lightyear debuts in Italy on June 15 and in the U.S. on June 17, 2022.
Buzz, the beloved character from the Toy Story series has now is own film, that delves into his past. Before Lightyear, the audience only knew him as an animated toy, but the first scenes tell us what we are about to watch: the kid from Toy Story, Andy, received Buzz as a gift because he is the character from his favorite film and the film is this.
Lightyear follows a young but accomplished Buzz, after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million lightyears from Earth, alongside his friend and Commander, Alisha Hawthorne, and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home, he experiences a deep personal crisis, because reaching the goal won’t be easy: in space and on the hostile planet, time goes by at a different speed and the arrival of Emperor Zurg, and his robot army, will complicate the situation. However, Buzz is joined by a group of ambitious recruits and a robot companion cat, Sox, that will help him complete the mission.
Lightyear is an exciting and colorful intergalactic adventure: like many Disney films, it conveys important messages for children and adults, such as inclusion and the value of human relationships. However, due to the setting and the characters, the film is meant to approach more children rather than adults.
Nevertheless, there is some food for thought for the adult audience: this is a film about pursuing goals, without wasting time and making them become an obsession. Buzz is a resolute but lonely character, who falls into this trap: he learns about the importance of the group the hard way, but thanks to his recruits and Sox there will be a redemption for him too.
Lightyear is written and directed by Angus MacLane, with music by Michael Giacchino. In the original voice cast: Chris Evans (Buzz), Peter Sohn (Sox), Uzo Aduba (Alisha Hawthorne) and James Brolin (Zurg).