Buzz, voiced by Chris Evans, is back in action in Pixar’s “Lightyear.” (photo courtesy of Disney)

Rank “Lightyear” as a top midrange Pixar film, nowhere near “Wall-E,” somewhere around “Luca.” Entertaining at times, visually brilliant, but it tries to shirk expectations a bit too much, when a simpler story might’ve benefited moviegoers more.

So what’s the premise? In the “Toy Story” universe, Buzz Lightyear is a fictional movie character turned into a toy for kids like Andy to enjoy. Unlike Transformers or G.I. Joes, which arrived prior to any media adaptations, Buzz hit the big screen first, the popular toy line to follow.

So this is a fictional film in the fictional universe of “Toy Story,” which might or might not be one part of a larger Pixar universe including every single one of the studio’s entries. (Just look up “the Pixar theory” for more on that.) As for “Lightyear” as a film on its own, the story requires no external knowledge, though a few easter eggs texture the experience.

A crew stranded on an unknown planet conducts a host of hyper-speed tests, desperately trying to get home. Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans), an infamous ranger in Star Command, feels responsible for everyone’s plight. So he leads the charge, which results in an unfortunate side effect: he ends up several years into the future. He returns to a colony he no longer recognizes – a mysterious foe attacking the colonist too – and he must adapt quick while considering what he’ll do next.

“Lightyear” lacks have the emotional or clever punch of other Pixar films, but it does borrow from the studio’s playlist, particularly one emotional time lapse sequence from “Up.” It plays out here to a similarly emotional effect with a sci-fi hook.

Otherwise, the story is relatively stock, a mix of familiar tropes. Stoic hero to a fault, untrained rookies complicating the mission, hostile planet, etc. That ol’ Pixar humor helps spruce up the formula, but it isn’t a story that boldly goes where no one’s gone before.

“Lightyear” has the same problem of so many modern action films: a dull villain. It should be Zurg, previously highlighted in “Toy Story 2.” But any semblance of expectation based on the character’s previous depictions is a red herring, but not a welcome revision.

Think back to the glory days of Darth Vader, Hans Gruber, HAL 9000 and the Terminator. For some reason, modern cinema no longer concerns itself with compelling big bads. Perhaps the idea of a throwback villain felt too much like borrowing from “The Incredibles.” Regardless, the outcome is rather bland.

Buzz faces off against Zurg, the main antagonist in “Lightyear.” (photo courtesy of Disney)

From the start, this guy should feel like something out of the classics. Instead, Zurg is mostly silent until a twist arrives. Sadly, that moment only enhances a primary theme at the expense of the story. Apparently a good villain is a thing of the past. The best ones have already been created, new ones stripped of any memorable, dynamic appeal.

Then there’s the elephant in the room. Plenty of folks are irked by Tim Allen’s absence. His voice imprinted on Buzz 27 years ago. But to be honest, his maiden voyage in the first fully computer animated film marked the only major character development. Woody evolved, Buzz stood still across the next three films. So perhaps a new voice can breathe something more complicated into a supporting character previously parading as a co-lead.

For that to work though, “Lightyear” really needs to be the first in a series, not a one-off. If that sounds like a tall order, remember lackluster sequels like “Cars,” “Finding Nemo” and “Monsters, Inc.” A sequel here could actually return a sci-fi story more worthwhile. Pixar is the right crew to embark on such a task, hopefully learning from the hiccups this time around.