Review: ‘Toy Story 5’ takes on electronics and gets a family reunion

Viewing “devices” as the enemy, the toys in “Toy Story” must figure out how to reconnect with the girl who tossed them aside and now longs to connect with others on a “Lilypad,” an adolescent-friendly screen that will let her find her tribe. Unfortunately, she also has to deal with online bullying and instant messaging.

For 8-year-old Bonnie, it’s confusing. For her hand-me-down doll Jessie, it’s even worse. She must rally the toys in order to deal with this threat and figure out how to find a place outside the “contribution” box.

Woody and Buzz, meanwhile, are relegated to sidekick status and come through when it matters. But “Toy Story 5” isn’t a clean story, and suggests you know the characters’ histories.

Several newcomers (including Conan O’Brien as a toilet-training toy called Smarty Pants) make an impression, but they seem destined for the scrapheap like everyone else. Here, Bo Peep, Ham and others are merely day players tossing in one-liners when necessary. They’re not essential to the story (and, for that matter, Woody isn’t either), but they do show up.

Where “Toy Story 5” needs help is in connecting one kid to another. If you may remember, Andy was the O.G. owner; now Bonnie gets the honors. In the process, Emily pulled Jessie’s string. But the nostalgia that brings is a smokescreen. Those electronic detractors should be the villains. Directors Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris take pains to make sure they’re not – and that’s too bad. “TS5” is best when the traditional toys take their shots.

“The age of toys is over,” they bemoan. They diss batteries and claim Lily is nothing more than a “green” calculator. But the directors could have landed some stronger punches, particularly since those devices are cutting into their world, too.

Joan Cusack justifies the spotlight for Jessie and there’s enough for Tim Allen’s Buzz to do. Only Tom Hanks’ Woody gets left in the dust. He’s missing some hair and seems to be solidly in Bo Peep’s flock but doesn’t get the attention he should. Instead, he’s just another one of the toys.

Where the directors score is when the story shifts to the playdates they have with Bonnie and Emily. The animation switches and “TS5” shows the spark that made it a worthy investment.

While O’Brien makes a great addition, it’s unclear how he would fit into another edition, particularly since the next step could be a version of “Wall-E.”

“Toy Story 5” isn’t a rite of passage. It’s more like a family reunion. It’s great to see some of the characters; others, sadly, are just there.