Critics’ reviews

Toy Story 3 (2010)

16 reviews from 16 publications. Critics’ score 82: 14 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative.

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82
Positive
14
Mixed
0
Negative
0

The consensus is firmly positive, with praise clustering around the film’s emotional depth, sharp humour and handling of growing up and being outgrown. Most critics find that the animation and adventure plotting serve the characters, giving adults plenty to recognise without losing the slapstick pleasures for children. The reviews repeatedly single out Ken and the Barbie-Ken pairing for comedy, while the toys’ attachment to Andy gives the story its weight.

Reservations concern familiarity rather than any broad failure: several critics find less originality here, even while admiring the craft and feeling. Variety considers the film more gag-driven than its predecessors and less essential than the previous sequel; Collider likewise finds it falls short of the first two films. The spread is chiefly one of enthusiasm, with even the more restrained reviews finding substantial humour and tenderness.

The New York Times
17 June 2010 · A.O. Scott
90*

The critic praises the film's ingenuity and emotional depth, noting how it captures the bonds among the toys and Andy's imagination while delivering a satisfying conclusion to the franchise.

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Los Angeles Times
18 June 2010 · Kenneth Turan
85*

The critic calls the film everything one hoped for, highlighting its ability to stay true to the series' roots while expanding its emotional reach and delivering genuine feeling alongside fun.

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The Guardian
15 July 2010 · Peter Bradshaw
85*

The critic describes Toy Story 3 as a brutally adult film tackling themes of childhood's end, evil's origins in pain, and mortality, with inventive and powerfully sad elements throughout. He singles out the opening sequence for its thrill and visual beauty while calling the film an effortlessly superior family movie that may move adults to tears.

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Radio Times
8.3/10 · Alan Jones
83

The review says the glow of originality may have dimmed but the film delivers exactly what it should with slapstick fun, heartfelt adventure and a tear-inducing finale about life transitions. It singles out the new characters like Lotso and the hilarious Barbie-Ken and Spanish Buzz moments for delight.

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Little White Lies
17 June 2010 · 4/4/4 · Ailsa Caine
80

The review calls it a satisfying if familiar farewell to old friends that delivers Pixar's magic with sharp dialogue and charismatic performances. It singles out the day-care centre adventure and new villains for injecting froth, while noting it adheres more strictly to kids' conventions than Up.

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Screen Daily
9 June 2010
80*

The critic finds Toy Story 3 a winsome blend of peppy ensemble adventure and nostalgic reflection that adults will enjoy alongside children. It singles out the gorgeous 3D use, the prison-break plotting and amusing new characters like Ken for balancing the story's undercurrents of being outgrown.

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The Hollywood Reporter
14 October 2010 · THR Staff
80*

The review finds that the film trades the original's groundbreaking dazzle for greater emotional depth and complexity under director Lee Unkrich. It singles out the new character Lotso, a seemingly gregarious teddy bear with a bitter edge, as a standout addition.

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Time Out
13 July 2010 · ★★★★ · Ben Walters
80

The critic praises the film as the gold standard for CG animation, using its craftsmanship for warm characterisation and elegant storytelling that tackles separation anxiety with emotional honesty. It singles out the witty novelties like the Barbie-Ken subplot and subtle 3D use for enhancing the prison-break adventure.

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Sight and Sound
· Jonathan Romney
70*

The critic finds Toy Story 3 a tender valedictory that recycles familiar elements but succeeds as a symbolic renewal about passing toys to new hands. It singles out the sombre theme of abandonment, especially Lotso's backstory, and the alarming incinerator climax for praise amid its gothic frissons and witty in-jokes.

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Variety
8 June 2010 · Peter Debruge
70*

The review notes that the film delivers fun and laughs before an emotional payoff, though it feels more gag-driven than prior entries and less essential than the previous sequel.

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Empire
19 July 2010 · Dan Jolin

Pixar delivers another masterful sequel that balances laughs, action and deep emotion as the toys face retirement and a deceptive daycare. The critic singles out the intense, poignant incinerator sequence for its exquisite end-of-the-line drama.

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Den of Geek
21 June 2010 · ★★★★★ · Mark Harrison
100

The critic finds Toy Story 3 a must-see family film that recaptures the magic of the originals with strong emotional resonance. They single out the screenplay's heart-wrenching moments and groundbreaking visuals, including an epic apocalyptic sequence.

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Digital Spy
17 June 2010 · Simon Reynolds
85*

The critic calls the film marvellous and praises its richness of character, sharp humour and emotional core that continues Pixar's tradition of balancing laughs and tears. They single out the poignant exploration of growing up and moving on as particularly moving for audiences who grew up with the series.

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Collider
18 June 2010 · B+ · Matt Goldberg
83

The critic finds Toy Story 3 a fun, action-packed prison-break style adventure with sharp writing and strong visuals, though it doesn't quite match the first two films. They single out the emotional payoff at the end and Ken's comedic performance for praise.

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The Wrap
17 June 2010 · Leah Rozen
80*

The critic finds the film inventive, clever, and funny, though not as fresh as the previous entries, and praises its emotional, bittersweet ending that captures the complexities of growing up and moving on.

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Eye for Film
19 June 2010 · Scott Macdonald

The critic calls it a dazzlingly confident and magical picture and a near-unbroken run of animation masterpieces from Pixar. They single out the rich pathos in the storytelling and the emotional finale that will leave few with dry eyes.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate