More often than not, Pixar’s track record has been to infinity and beyond. They know how to craft an ingenious animated film that is dazzling, funny and emotionally resonant.

“Lightyear” helps keep that track record intact, even if it doesn’t exactly hit a home run. Equal parts spin-off and origin story of the “Toy Story” franchise, this sci-fi extravaganza features Chris Evans as the voice of the titular hero. Buzz Lightyear is a space ranger in Star Command, and at the beginning, he’s exploring a new planet with his partners when they have to evacuate due to the hostile aliens who live there. Buzz unfortunately damages their spacecraft during takeoff, and the crew has to find a way to fix it and get off the planet. This is where some of the franchise’s dialogue originates. Buzz gets it working and decides to take a test-drive through hyperspace. Little does he know that when he goes through, it seems like four minutes to him, but in reality, it’s been four years. Apparently, the screenwriters saw “Interstellar” and remembered that formula. One of the high points of the movie is a robotic cat named Sox (Peter Sohn), who serves as Buzz’s companion and plays like C-3P0.

Buzz subsequently recruits a series of other rangers (Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi and Dale Soules), who provide the necessary wisecracking humor and ragtag team to help stop the evil Emperor Zurg (James Brolin).

“Lightyear” does supply a lot of visual razzle dazzle that’s sprinkled with moments of humor and punctuated with emotionally charged scenes. Basically, it’s your average Pixar flick.

Evans brings his Captain America persona to the role, and I think he’s adequately suited, but the story itself is never quite as involving as its iconic predecessors. For one thing, “Lightyear” seems more content on being a conventional origin story rather than reaching for the stars. It’s also self-consciously referential, and it borrows from other sci-fi movies such as “Star Wars,” “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Alien.”

Plus, in terms of animated films so far this year, I think I had much more fun with “The Bad Guys” because it subverted the notions of the type of story it was telling.

Having said all that, “Lightyear” is fun in the moment, and kids will be sufficiently entertained, even if it doesn’t really reach infinity.

“Lightyear” isn’t exactly out of this world, but it is marginally disposable summer fun.

Grade: B+

(Rated PG for action/ peril.)