Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) is a Space Ranger working for Star Command. When sensors locate an unexplored planet, he – along with his best friend and commanding officer Alisha Hawthorn (Uzo Aduba) and a rookie Ranger named Featheringhamstan (Bill Hader) – venture out to explore it. However, the environment quickly turns actively hostile, forcing them to attempt to flee. However, Buzz’s efforts aren’t quite enough, leaving the ship stranded and its large crew marooned.

One year later, the castaways have used their technology and know-how to develop a nascent colony on the planet, now known as T’Kani Prime. However, they’re still trying to get home, with the biggest obstacle being a lack of stable hyperspace fuel crystals. When an experimental crystal is created, Buzz volunteers to test it. The test – which sees the crystal destabilize – lasts just four minutes, but due to relativistic effects, four years have passed on the planet.

But Buzz keeps trying. Test after test, destabilization after destabilization – and four years pass for every four minutes of flight. His friends age in a seeming instant; he watches as Hawthorn gets married, starts a family, grows old and … the inevitable. Meanwhile, his lone consistent companion is a robot cat named SOX (Peter Sohn).

Decades later – and with the help of SOX – there’s finally a stable fuel. But when Buzz tests it – against the orders of the new colony commander, by the way – he winds up traveling even further into the future, landing 22 years later and discovering T’Kani Prime is under attack by a mysterious robot army.

There are a scant few holdouts outside the colony’s laser-protected perimeter – including Izzy (Keke Palmer), an enthusiastic youngster with a connection to Buzz’s past. With this ragtag group, it’s up to Buzz to try and save the colony from a mysterious and powerful enemy, but this enemy might be too much for even the great Buzz Lightyear and his new allies to overcome – particularly when the source of the adversary’s power becomes apparent.

Given my preexisting affinity for Pixar, I was always likely to enjoy this one. But I didn’t anticipate how much I was going to dig it. The conceit seemed like something that would play as gimmicky and/or one-note, but instead, “Lightyear” becomes its own thing, a solid rip-roarer of a space adventure that requires no foreknowledge of the character.

Now I’ll grant that there are some jokes and references that won’t play if you’re not familiar with the “Toy Story” films, but none of them undermine the narrative or the overall experience. You’ll pull a few extra chuckles if you catch the winks and nods, but my take is that you’d have a good time regardless.

Director Angus McLane does a good job in creating something that captures the spirit of Pixar while also managing to be a little different from the studio’s usual fare. There’s a throwback vibe to it, a rollicking adventure story that elicits a nice blend of novelty and nostalgia. It’s seriously tough to NOT have fun with this one.

(Oh, and in case you were wondering – yes, there are a couple of heartstring-tugging moments, because of course there are.)

As for the casting, well … these folks are having a blast. Chris Evans does some great work, finding ways to make the role his own even as he tonally pays homage to Tim Allen’s take on the character. It’s different, but you can definitely hear the effort to bridge the gap. The supporting cast is packed with quality performances – literally everybody is good. There are a couple of highlights, though – Palmer’s Izzy is a standout, as is Taika Waititi as one of her cohort. Peter Sohn is an utter delight as the voice of SOX; he’s got a running gag involving interchangeable beep-boops and meows that made me laugh every time. But again – everyone gets it done.

“Lightyear” is a bit of a surprise. Not in terms of general quality, obviously – we are talking about Pixar here – but in terms of the specifics. It’s a fun and exciting adventure story with real heart, one that uses its inspiration as a jumping off point but isn’t beholden to it.

Strap in for this one, because “Lightyear” will take you to infinity … and beyond.

[4 out of 5]