The origin of cartoon astronaut Buzz Lightyear (voiced by chris Evans), the "movie" hero on whom Andy Davies' Space Ranger action figure was based, is told in Lightyear, a franchise spin-off and in-universe precursor to the Toy Story series. Pilot Lightyear makes a daring attempt to flee from man-eating plants on a perilous plant, but fails and leaves his crew behind, including robotic cat Sox (Peter Sohn), commander Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), and Diaz (Efren Ramirez), far from Earth. As retribution for his failure, Lightyear devises a rescue scheme that draws the attention of the hero's future adversary, the ruthless and strong Emperor Zurg (James Brolin).
The character of Buzz, as portrayed by chris Evans, is everything he needs to be: a likeable hero who is brimming with bravery, loyalty, self-confidence, and charisma. Allen's version of the Space Ranger is an inspiration for Evans, but she doesn't rely on it. The movie is full with threads that help explain what Toy Story Buzz would eventually say and do. But because to Evans' superb performance, each allusion is infused with emotion and adds significance to Lightyear's story (not to mention crowd-pleasing fun). These are not cliched one-liners or hollow easter eggs that draw unwanted attention.
Lightyear's animation approach, which stops short of attempting to be the most realistic-looking Pixar film to date, will appeal to both seasoned sci-fi aficionados and novice audiences. Instead, it borrows the aesthetics from science fiction movies, comics, and television shows from the 1970s, where the world is populated with enigmatic animals and extraordinary discoveries while being dark and gritty in space. This contrast is skillfully balanced by MacLane, who creates a work that alternates between moments of crushing darkness and blinding optimism.