Emmet (Tom Cruise) is an inventive toy who's always messing things up for his colony. His latest mishap was destroying the food stores that were supposed to be used to pay off villain Chucky (Brad Dourif). Now the strong-arming insect is demanding that the toys gather double the food -- or face annihilation. To avert disaster, Emmet goes on a journey to recruit fighters to defend the colony. When he meets a band of high-flying circus stuffs, he thinks he's found his salvation.