What is the story of this controversial movie?
A new toy is added to the Toy Story family when Bonnie's art project (an anthropomorphic spork) comes to life. The utensil thinks he belongs in the trash and constantly throws himself in it. Woody, who is experiencing an existential crisis, constantly has to save him from the rubbish.
During one of this confrontations Forky and Woody get lost and encounter an evil doll, Gabby Gabby. She demands Woody's voice box for herself, arguing that her own device is broken. Woody escapes but Forky is held hostage until the cowboy agrees to the organ trafficking operation.
Fortunately for the eating utensil, Woody encounters Buzz Lightyear and his long lost love, Bo Peep. Together they attempt to save Forky but fail. This causes them to fight and take separate paths, with Woody alone against the doll.
During the confrontation Gabby Gabby talks about how much she would love to be with a child, so Woody agrees too surrender his voice box. Forky is freed and they help the doll to find an owner.
At the end of the movie Woody stays with Bo Peep and abandons his friends to help other toys looking for owners.
On the surface it might look like those who condemn this movie are acting out of insecurity and nostalgia, showing excessive anger towards a mere movie for children. However, upon closer examination we see that their criticisms are justified and as a result this movie should be shunned. Today, in the Pasture of Knowledge, I will show you why Toy Story 4 is an evil film.
Forky's Self Destructive Tendencies
One would never expect the topic of suicide to be explored in a movie about living toys, yet the directors went out of their way to connect Forky's trashy obsession with self deletion.
At some point we see a montage of Woody saving Forky from the rubbish multiple times. While this happens, a song with the following lyrics is played in the background:
"Don't you wanna see the sun come up each morning?
Don't you wanna see the sun go down each day?
Don't you wanna see that little girl that loves you so?
Her heart would break if you should go"
A topic like this should never be touched in a family movie, at least not without the utmost seriousness and subtlety, properties which I do not find here.
The message is clear for anyone over the age of 10 and yet the montage consists on a plastic scrap running to the trash while a cowboy ragdoll tries to stop it on the most ridiculous scenarios possible. To call it disrespectful is an understatement.
Buzz Lightyear: To Stupidity and Beyond
Through the initial trilogy Buzz is a competent, highly intelligent, and skilled military man. Despite his initial inability to understand he was a toy, Lightyear is capable of quick thinking and resourcefulness.
However, 2019 Buzz Lightyear is remarkably stupider and is treated as a joke character. Instead of using his wits for decision making he presses buttons on his chest to listen to pre-recorded lines which then he interprets according to whatever the plot needs.
Why would that be? Would it be because he is the figure of a man, a symbol of competency and intelligence that could possibly offend journos and give the wrong message to children?
Hollywood calls you sexist for noticing this kind of stuff, as if women outside or Meryl Streep meant anything for them. Maybe they genuinely think people press buttons on action figures for life advice.
Gabby Gabby is an Organ Trafficker and an insult to Handicapped People
When the movie came out many praised the character of Gabby Gabby for "representing" handicapped people. However, I am yet to hear of amputees willingly mutilating other people in an attempt to get new legs.
Gabby Gabby appeals to violence for her physical improvement: In Toy Story 4, children are taught that kidnapping and ripping off other people's body parts is okay as long as you have suffered and they say yes under pressure. The evil doll goes unpunished, getting her cake and eating it too, cornering Woody for a voice box that might not even work for her.
Those who praised this movie for "representation" need public shaming, because instead of recognizing that there was nothing wrong with not having a functional voice box, Gabby Gabby "fixes" herself with mutilation and manipulation.
The Deconstruction of Bo Peep
Bo Peep is a porcelain lamp with the shape of a shepherdess. Fragile and hearty, she was a kind woman who supported everyone with her empathetic character.
And yet, as soon as I saw her new design in the movie posters, I knew she was going to get the Girlboss treatment.
It makes sense for her character to roughen up after so many years as a lost toy, except that Pixar changed her personality even during the flashback scenes. Now Bo Peep is another girl boss: competent, always right, super tough and a warrior.
The movie wants you to believe Bo Peep and Woody love each other, but the reality is different: The shepherdess seems to have changed her mind quite a bit about the cowboy. She sees him as a clingy, weak ragdoll who is too obsessed with working for his owners.
She even disrespects him multiple times; she calls him an accessory, doesn't appreciate his ideas, and it's quite clear she considers him an obstacle.
If anyone says that you are not a friend but an accessory, they are not marriage or couple material of any kind. And yet, this is what Bo Peep tells to everyone about Woody! She treats him with condescension. Are we supposed to be happy that he abandoned his family and friends for her?
Woody's Choice Was Questionable
Based on what we have seen, Woody did harm himself by choosing to stay with an abrasive woman... But, did he abandon anyone else?
Firstly, Woody abandoned Forky, the suicidal toy. While the spork had found motivation during his conversations with the cowboy, there is no reason to believe he will need no help in the future. Since Woody was his first friend and none of the other toys cared about him, he should have stayed with Forky.
Secondly; Through the movie Bonnie shows attachment to Woody. While not as great as it was in Toy Story 3, Bonnie still plays with Woody during the movie, meaning she is still willing to keep him. Does the cowboy ragdoll not know how children feel when they lose their toys - specially if they can't understand why? - What if he becomes the favorite toy again but Bonnie can't find him?
Furthermore, there are clues in the movie that Bonnie's dad is not exactly a good person. One of the toys -a unicorn named Buttercup, constantly gets excited thinking the father will end up in jail. This comments are random and have no development. Why would Buttercup hate him so much? Many have speculated that he knows something really bad about Bonnie's father, something that would make him worthy of punishment.
Previously in the franchise we have seen them trying to intervene in defense of other toys; defending a child against an abusive father or dangerous assassins is not entirely impossible for the internal consistency of the franchise.
Woody took the choice with little premeditation and without considering his responsibilities (namely, being Bonnie's toy). If he wanted to help other toys, he could have done it from Bonnie's house or at least waited until Forky was healed and the child didn't want him anymore. Instead, children are taught that abandoning ones family for that girl who used to be your girlfriend is a cool and elevated thing to do.
Conclusion: Toy Story 4 is an evil movie
The devil is in the details, and no matter how much people gloat about the impressive 3D animation and the nostalgic soundtrack, one only has to pay attention to see him lurking within.
Toy Story 4 is a corrupt movie that received praise when it deserves hate. Certainly, we must throw it away from our lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment