Verdict
Summary
Bring your tissues and get ready to laugh – Inside Out 2 is a superb sequel that will make you fall in love with Riley and all her lovable emotions a hundred times over. Hats off to Pixar for yet another hit.
Plot: After finally settling into their roles as Riley’s emotions, Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear face a new obstacle: puberty. As Riley enters her teenage years, new emotions suddenly appear in her Head-quarters, causing chaos and disruption for Joy and her team – and in turn Riley’s life.
Review: Inside Out 2 is a dazzling sequel packed with emotion (literally) and strong thematic messaging that will engage audiences and leave them feeling incredibly satisfied. For once, the animation was not anything exhilarating or new as a viewer; Pixar has set such a high level when it comes to animation in the industry, but this time around it certainly was not the highlight for me. Still, the animators did a phenomenal job on the signature vibrant colour and new character designs – I for one cannot wait for all the Anxiety merch to come out.
Instead, Inside Out 2’s focus here was the narrative itself – the writing was exceptionally executed, with each character proving just how significant they are to Riley’s sense of self. It’s stories like this that make me fall in love with Pixar over and over, and I’m so glad to say this was a definite top hit in the more recent Disney and Pixar years.
I enjoyed the introduction of new characters, particularly Anxiety, and how clever the writers depicted such a complex emotion. Just like the first installment, Pixar masterfully personifies these emotions in such a way for viewers to not only resonate with, but develop more understanding and empathy for others. It sends a powerful message of compassion towards people, and most importantly towards oneself. With Riley going through puberty and experiencing a complete reconstruction of her emotional “control board”, I think it was crucial for audiences to see the inner struggle and her journey towards self-awareness. Alongside the movie’s strong themes of self-awareness, it was a great depiction of historically touchy subjects like mental health through an empathetic lens.
The comedic tone was such a pleasant surprise in this sequel, even more hilarious compared to the first. I enjoyed how self-aware Pixar is with its audiences, catering to both the young folks and even the parents too. Overall Inside Out 2 is a must watch, for all the inner child in us. Don’t forget to bring tissues and expect to be laughing even past the credits.
Inside Out 2 premieres exclusively in theatres on June 14.