Toy Story of Terror! (2013)

The team are back...if you don't count the numerous cartoons and shorts over the years, but yet they're back. Yes despite my rather cocky introduction there I was pleased to see the toy crew back for more adventures as I'm sure everyone else was too. Much to my pure pleasure this story centres around a horror tale of sorts, admittedly not in the same vain as The Simpson's Treehouse of Horror tales which I was kinda hoping for but its all good.
                                                                                                                                                                 

That's not to say this short animated tale is all dark and creepy with elements of Cushing, Lee and Price, alas no (even though the intro does lean that way like its teasing you...damn them!). It's much more straight-laced than that and still takes place within the semi-real world we all from the films. Gotta be honest this did disappoint me as I really wanted to see a kooky haunted mansion type horror along the lines of The Addams Family, I really think that could have been cool.

The film does feel a tad tired I can't deny, the plot is the usual toys in trouble affair with the team getting split up and the others having to rescue them. It's not exactly genius but it just about works although the laughs are few and far between in all honesty. It looks good of course, all the characters are present and correct with their original voices by the original stars which is nice. Wasn't too sure about the pet iguana that acts like a dog, yes I know its a kids cartoon essentially but that just seemed too stupid to me, too toonish.

The best thing about this new short is easily Combat Carl voiced by Carl Weathers. This character easily equals Buzz in terms of great humorous dialog and his sheer retro design, the classic macho man action figure of the 80's and beyond. I also thought his mini version was a nice touch too, the type of smaller figure that would fit inside an action vehicle...like the small M.A.S.K. figures. Weathers was perfectly cast for this little role he really was, I loved how the action figure was basically a young Weathers probably based on his character in 'Predator'.

Then there was the awesome brief appearance of the Transformer type robot toy who comes apart and reassembles when required (looked a bit like Voltron), the fat superhero toy, the Pez dispenser and that Lego type character. End of the day the story is slightly weak I can't lie about that but its the great retro toy characters that keep you entertained. Fun for the kids because its an animated cartoon, and fun for the adults because we can reminisce about all these old toys we used to have. Surely you all remember how cool it was to see plastic soldiers in action in the original huh...am I right? Just don't expect anything as sizzling as the movies.

6.5/10

'can it Pants!, life ain't a movie, they're never coming back'