Weâre now just a day away from the fourth and (supposedly) final instalment in the Toy Story series, which critics have now had their say over.
The first wave of Toy Story 4 reviews have now been posted online, and at the time of writing, the film already has a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning critics have been unanimously positive towards it, even if one or two have questioned whether a fourth film was wholly necessary.
And if you were among those who found themselves hysterically crying into your popcorn during Toy Story 3, it sounds like you might want to double-check you have tissues to hand fourth time around.
Hereâs just a snippet of the first Toy Story 4 reviewsâŠ
The Times (5/5)
Sweet Lord, this is good. You know that youâre in the presence of genius when the first five minutes of what is ostensibly the third sequel to a 24-year-old childrenâs cartoon about talking toys is revealed to contain more depth, more thought-provoking content and more soulful passion than any Hollywood movie released this year so far.
âThe brilliance of the new film lies in the surefooted way it caters both for children too young to have seen its predecessors and for adults whoâve grown up (or grown older) watching the previous instalments. It takes some kind of genius for the Pixar animators to give such a searing emotional charge to a story in which one of the main characters is a single use plastic spork retrieved from the trash.â
âI wonât give away the filmâs climax, but I will say that the inevitable tears are jerked in layers: Thereâs one emotional climax for those viewers who are new to the series, another for those who have only vague memories of the previous films, and yet another for those whoâve totally grown up on these pictures.â
The Mirror (5/5)
âWith cinema dominated by universe-smashing superheroes, Toy Storyâs sweet brand of wholesome and slightly scary fun seems almost quaint, but as a parent itâs great to have a film which offers more gentle and almost innocent pleasures.â
Digital Spy (5/5)
âWe would have been content if Toy Story 3 was the end of their cinematic adventures. If it had been, though, weâd have missed out on the magnificent Toy Story 4, which manages to wash away any doubts you had before the opening credits roll.â
âThat prospect [of a fourth film] didnât sit all that well with me when it was announcedânot after the third film had arrived at such a teary place of completion. Itâs a relief, then, that Toy Story 4 not only delivers plenty of gonzo-funny moments and genuine thrills, but also interrogates and complicates the seriesâs core themes.â
âToy Story 4 feels less like a family film than a film for adults that their children might also like. The colorful cartoon characters and their wacky hijinks will surely go appreciated by the younger set â but the messaging is aimed squarely at those who were old enough to watch the first or second Toy Story in theaters, and it hits that mark with grace and confidence.â
The Sun (5/5)
âThereâs little point in talking too much about the storyline because itâs largely more of the same... I donât mind though, because I donât think that is the filmsâ strength. Its strength lies in simply being able to create some of the best characters ever seen on screen - and boy do we get a load of new favourites.â
BBC (4/5)
âItâs clear within minutes that the new cartoon⊠will be as gorgeously animated and as generously sprinkled with jokes as Pixarâs best work, and any lingering misgivings melt away in the warm glow of seeing Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the loveable, misfit gang back together.â
Empire (4/5)
âThis fourth Toy Story isnât as essential as the previous films in the series, but thereâs no denying the joy of seeing Woody and friends back in action, while once again itâll likely leave you with a tear in your eye.â
The Guardian (3/5)
âIt is sprightly, sweet-natured and gorgeous to look at (and how blasĂ© weâve all become about animation standards that 10 years ago had us hyperventilating with astonishment).... But this movie is fundamentally repeating itself: repeating characters, ideas and plotlines â even if it does it with buoyancy and charm.â
New York Post (2.5/5)
âToy Story 4 ends on a respectable, bittersweet note that would make the perfect bookend to this likable franchise. But so did the last movie. Throughout 4, Buzz Lightyear, whoâs underused, tries to âlisten to my inner voiceâ to make sounder decisions. I suggest Pixar do the same: To infinity and beyond!â
Toy Story 4 hits theatres on June 21. Watch the trailer below: