Those Toy Story fan-boys eagerly awaiting the re-release of the first two films in 3D need not bother. There are long stretches in Toy Story 2 when not only will you not notice the 3D, you’d be hard pressed to know the technique had even been implemented at all, were you not wearing the glasses.
The re-releases are clearly intended to drum up some extra excitement for the forthcoming sequel Toy Story 3, and to that extent they are not unwelcome. Rekindling interest in these films, particularly with new generations of children, is clearly worthwhile given their importance in the field of CGI filmmaking. Just don’t go expecting anything new. The 3D on display in this remake was by far the most underwhelming I have yet seen, culminating in nothing more than a subdued manifestation of that familiar depth effect we’re all slowly getting used to.
Of course the film itself is unchanged and remains as charming and fast-paced as ever, even if the animation is (obviously) beginning to show its age. If anything it serves as a reminder of how many loveable characters there are in this franchise, and in that sense it should raise the level of expectation for the long-awaited third film.