All thirteen reviews are positive, and they agree on the order of things. The animation comes first: this is the first full-length computer-generated feature, and critics treat it as a real achievement rather than a novelty. Most then say the story earns its place beside the technology. The script is called witty and unsentimental, pitched so that children enjoy toys coming to life while parents catch the jokes. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are singled out repeatedly for their voice work, and several reviews praise Randy Newman’s score.
The spread is narrow, from warm to warmer, and the reservations are small. The Guardian, the coolest of the set, admires the technique but misses the sweetness of hand-drawn animation. Later reviews at Den of Geek and Collider notice that the human characters have dated, though both still recommend it without hesitation. Roger Ebert, for all his enthusiasm, notes that underneath the invention it is essentially a buddy picture.
