Toy Story 3: A Children’s Film with Profound Depth
Even a simple phrase like “The mistress abandoned the bunny” can be the foundation for an excellent film.
Andy is all grown up and heading off to college. His beloved toys no longer hold his interest, and they face the prospect of being relegated to a daycare center filled with toddlers.
What began as a cheerful, vibrant, and dinosaur-filled trilogy takes on a surprisingly tragic dimension. In the third installment, three new characters stand out, each bearing the scars of past emotional trauma. There’s a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear, a clown, and a baby doll – all once lost and forgotten by their former owner.
The Broken Toys
The consequences of this abandonment are heartbreaking. The clown has succumbed to a deep depression, the teddy bear has become a cynical villain, and the hulking baby doll serves as his mindless, ruthless minion, always ready to crush anyone on the bear’s orders. (The baby doll’s expressions and movements, especially when he utters the word “Mama,” are unforgettable – Jean-Pierre Jeunet would be proud of such a character).
Preparing for the Real World
“Toy Story 3” subtly prepares young viewers for a common adult experience: loving someone who no longer loves you back (or perhaps never truly did). The characters in this trilogy can talk, move, and think, but the loss of reciprocated love strips these abilities of their meaning. Yet, Woody remains steadfastly loyal to his owner, his god – and, strangely, it is this quiet, almost absurd devotion, which the owner may not fully realize but can sense, that ultimately saves everyone.
The Most Dramatic Installment
The third “Toy Story” is, in every sense, the most dramatic. There’s even a moment where the characters are nearly burned alive. It’s unlikely that John Lasseter, back in the early 90s, envisioned his 3D project leading to such intense scenarios. But this children’s film has evolved into a serious exploration of love, and in such stories, the characters are bound to get their fur singed along the way.