ReelBob: ‘Toy Story 4’ ★★½

By Bob Bloom

“Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days,” Ben Franklin wrote a few centuries ago.

The same, it seems, applies to a majority of movie franchises.

And while the lazily titled “Toy Story 4” does not emit an offensive aroma, it is time to put this animated series to bed — for good.

“Toy Story 4” is fun and enjoyable, but that’s about it. The movie and its bevy of characters have become stale and predictable — and that always is a sign that creative juices are drying up.

This newest Pixar release lacks oomph; it methodically goes through its paces like an assembly-line worker clocking in for a shift.

The movie’s brightest moments center on a new “toy,” Forky, a creation of kindergartner Bonnie, who inherited cowboy Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the “Toy Story” characters from the toys’ former owner, Andy.

It seems Woody is feeling left out because Bonnie is not playing with him as often as she used to. He mostly is relegated to the closet.

When a fearful Bonnie attends kindergarten orientation, Woody sneaks along in her backpack and, through a series of circumstances, gets her the discarded items she needs to make Forky.

Bonnie grows very attached to Forky, taking him everywhere, including a prekindergarten road trip.

But Forky, who is attracted to trash, keeps trying to run away to the nearest receptacle, and it’s only through Woody’s efforts that he remains with Bonnie.

Forky does finally succeed in fleeing, and Woody — knowing Bonnie will miss her new friend and be sad — goes after the utensil.

From there, the story travels to an antique store and a plotline about lost and unwanted toys gathering dust on shelves.

In a sense, the movie seems a bit too mature and cynical for the younger audiences it should target.

Plus, with a running time of 100 minutes, “Toy Story 4” feels padded and repetitious.

With the exception of Forky, the remainder of the characters — whose charm is garnering diminishing returns — go through their usual paces, doing the same schtick as they did in the three previous outings. It’s as if they are on a treadmill going nowhere at various speeds.

I did not dislike “Toy Story 4”; I just found it a bit boring. It offered no wow moments or any new revelations about the relationship between children and their toys — which were integral ideas throughout these movies.

As always, though, the voice talents — led by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen — and featuring Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, Bonnie Hunt, as well as newcomers Keanu Reeves, Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key, do their best to liven up the story. And, with the exception of Peele and Michael-Key — whose characters seem superfluous — they succeed.

Unfortunately, all we get is a tired storyline that feels familiar and worn.

Perhaps, like Woody, it’s time to consign the “Toy Story” franchise to a cinematic closet before all the good will it has accrued over the years turns to dust.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

TOY STORY 4
2½ stars out of 4
(G)