Inside Out 2 Review: A relatable rollercoaster of emotions
Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, we yet again follow Riley, but she's more present in her story this time around, with her now being a teenager who is trying to fit in with the cool high school kids as a middle schooler. As she goes off to hockey camp, she gains new emotions triggered by the start of puberty: Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui (boredom/disinterest), and their leader, Anxiety. This movie deals with the original five emotions trying to assimilate the new emotions, but that plan utterly fails, and the OGs are booted out of the control tower. The plot simultaneously shows the new emotions trying to change Riley into a moody teenager and the adventure of the originals attempting to return Riley to normal. In the end, Anxiety goes through practically the same arc that Joy went through in the first movie: every emotion is important and needs a turn at the forefront.
When you boil down the two Inside Out narratives, this movie does kind of rehash the original. However, the tone and writing give it its own distinct identity that, arguably, makes the film just as good as the original. This movie focuses on all of the emotions and Riley equally, whereas the original mostly zoomed in on Joy and Sadness. This movie also has the most hilarious and relatable writing of any Pixar movie, making it the most entertaining Pixar movie (in my opinion). Also, this movie is much faster-paced and fun, making it more rewatchable than the original. Lance Slashblade is also the funniest and most epic Pixar characters of all time—I'd watch a spinoff with him and Disgust in a heartbeat. Another thing this movie does is explore the emotions of the emotions. Anger is happy and hopeful many times, whereas Joy is depressed and feels like all hope is lost. This addition better depicts the complexity of the human mind, making for a perfect life lesson for anyone watching.
With all that being said, there are also many things the first film did better. The fast-paced plot and humor make it a more fun movie, but it also makes it lose some of the breathing room and time to explore the emotional impact of the plot. Also, this film is far less thought-provoking than the original, with nothing being remotely as special and resonant as Bing-Bong's sacrifice or Riley trying to run away from home. I also found the core memories to be much more emotional than the odd core beliefs web. While I enjoyed the concept, it was cringeworthy and on the nose every time Riley said, "I'm a good person" over and over. This unrelentingly annoying utterance was undoubtedly one of the most bogglingly miscalculated Pixar ideas of all time and the opposite of their usual show-don't-tell approach.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 93%
Letter Score: S
Star Ranking: 5 out of 5
Ultimately, both of the Inside Out films have different strengths and weaknesses, making for a rare occasion in which a film and its sequel are equal in quality. And that's wild since Pixar's never made a truly great sequel outside of the Toy Story franchise! While the fast-paced fun and humor of the sequel make me love it just as much as the original and just as recommendable, there will always be a special place in my heart for the more emotional original.
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