LIGHTYEAR

Cert PG

101 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild threat, violence

That's a relief - a spin-off which doesn't rely too much on the same old characters and gags.

Yes, don't watch Lightyear expecting to see Woody and Andy from Toy Story - this is all about Buzz and his new friends.

And even his voice has changed - Chris Evans has taken over the duties from Tim Allen. But, fear not, fun still abounds in arguably the best family film of the summer.

Toy Story fans will recall that Buzz was memorabilia from a blockbuster film which Andy had adored. Lightyear is that movie.

Angus MacLane's picture is set in space where Buzz is the captain of a spaceship on a mission to discover habitable planets.

They arrive on one which looks promising and he and the ship's commander (Uzo Aduba) go out on a recce to establish the prospects.

Alas, they are attacked by giant insects and killer vegetation and have to get back pretty sharpish to the spaceship and make a very swift exit.

This doesn't pan out because Buzz makes a slight error, so the ship is grounded and the crew are marooned.

Thus, after initial deflation, he resolves to right his mistake and help them all get back home.

Inevitably, because this is a comedy, these efforts don't go entirely to plan but Buzz, consistent with his Toy Story persona, will never give up.

Lightyear doesn't have laugh-out-loud moments but there a plenty of chuckles with a bit of cuteness and pathos thrown in too.

Most of all, it has a pacy story which is tangled enough to be interesting but not so complex that it will defeat young watchers.

I thought it was rather splendid and it is the second time this year that Disney has made a concerted effort to bring diversity into a family movie.

This is done with a very light touch but, nevertheless, the point is made and good on 'em.