Summary
Inside Out 2
is a colorfully and brilliantly animated sequel that delivers a rollercoaster of emotions with great voice acting.- The film tackles important messages for kids about authenticity and anxiety, though it will undoubtedly attract the ire of Disney and DEI haters.
- Riley's journey through adolescence and puberty makes for a more diverse and less depressing
Inside Out.
Riley Andersen has turned 13 and puberty hits with a freight train of new emotions. Inside Out 2 doesn't squeeze your eyeballs for tears like the original film. A drop or two may be shed, but the overall experience is more humorous and certainly creative. Disney and Pixar pour the multicultural batter on thick with an uber diverse ensemble that ticks every marketing box. More on that later as some elements will sadly arouse the ire of fringe complainers. The most important element is the entertainment value for children. That aspect works on several levels. Younger tykes will like the slapstick comedy and slick animation, while adolescents should feel a kindred experience in Riley's travails.
Riley (Kensington Tallman) dons her hockey gear in front of a raucous middle school crowd. Besties Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green) and Grace (Grace Lu) are also suited up to kick ice in a fun game. Mom (Diane Lane) and Dad (Kyle MacLachlan) cheer enthusiastically as their beloved daughter shows her skills. Meanwhile, in Riley's mind at headquarters, Joy (Amy Poehler) mans the control panel as the leading emotion. Anger (Lewis Black) wants to be more aggressive, but Sadness (Phyllis Smith) and Fear (Tony Hale) caution restraint.
The emotions spring into action when Riley's put in the penalty box for a foul. Joy takes the bad memory, a glass ball, and puts it in a tube. The memory gets sucked away and tossed in the back of Riley's mind to be forgotten. Riley breathes a sigh of relief. She's a good person who just made a mistake. The emotions monitor her belief system. Good memories come together in radiant white strings to form a shimmering tree.
The Puberty Alarm Wakes Up Anxiety in Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2
3.5/5
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
- Release Date
- June 14, 2024
- Director
- Kelsey Mann
- Studio
- Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
- A less depressing, more colorful and beautifully animated sequel.
- Inside Out 2 feels like a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way, fitting for the film's subject.
- A strong and important message for kids, strengthened by great voice acting.
- The third act drags, and Inside Out 2 certainly gives a lot of DEI fodder for the more ignorant Disney haters.
Later that night, Riley's cranky and yelling at her parents. The emotions are stunned when the puberty alarm appears out of nowhere. The mind police destroy the control panel to make way for Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Envy), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and the hilarious Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos); which means boredom if anyone is racing for the dictionary. The battle for control of Riley's beliefs shift into high gear as she heads off to a three-day hockey camp with high school girls. She desperately wants to join the Firehawks as a freshman, and will do anything to make the team.
Inside Out 2 nails the roller coaster of physical and inner changes we all experience at the onset of adolescence. Anxiety becomes the dominant emotion as low self-esteem begins to take hold of Riley. Every teenager wants to be a part of the cool crowd. This invariably leads to hurt feelings as friends deemed too silly or immature are left behind. Riley's sweet disposition and kind nature becomes threatened by her newfound desire for belonging. This is the crux of the film, honestly true to life, and its best message.
Inside Out 2 dazzles with multiple styles of animation. This was a welcome surprise that visually differentiates the rainbow-colored Skittles look of the CGI characters and settings. The emotions engage with 2D, hand-drawn characters, and a pixelated video game hero in the recesses of Riley's mind. The new additions come at the right time in the story. They bring a splash of variety to the coloring book. CGI films tend to have a ubiquitous focus on cutting-edge details. Old school animation methods have an endearing quality that's frankly more cartoonish and fun. The Pixar filmmakers understand that nostalgia and wisely incorporate it here.
How This Surprisingly Intense Movie Inspired Inside Out 2
It is impossible to know where your ideas will come from. But for the makers of Inside Out 2, the source was obvious.
Disney and DEI Haters Will Have a Field Day
Let me tread carefully here. It's a bummer to have to constantly address this in Disney film reviews, but these themes are a part of the modern cultural zeitgeist and cause friction with those who see a specific social agenda from the studio. Riley's best friends are Black and Asian. The Firehawks have a Black coach with short hair who may be part of the LGBTQ+ community. That's never stated but logically implied. The girls at the hockey camp are also ethnically mixed, including one who prominently wears a hijab.
A commenter leaving the theater expressed a belief the casting depicted was forced and overboard, as if to ask, "How many Black teen girls play hockey?" That's an ignorant statement. Inside Out 2 is set in San Francisco, which is tremendously diverse. Disney has clearly stated an embrace of inclusivity in everything they do. There's no reason whatsoever to not enjoy Inside Out 2 on its merits. Don't let preconceived stereotypes cloud your judgment of a children's film.
How Inside Out 2 Can Survive the New Pixar Curse, Explained
The new heart-warming Pixar movie is due out next year. But will it end up as a forgotten sequel?
Inside Out 2 is a worthy sequel that's not nearly as depressing as the first film. It drags on in the third act, but that isn't too much of a detriment given the substantial weight of the narrative. Shakespeare famously said "to thine own self be true." Riley learns that you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not to be accepted. Growing up isn't easy. Every decision seems consequential. They aren't. It's just part of an awkwardness we all endure.
Inside Out 2 is a production of Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. It will be released theatrically on June 14th from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Watch the trailer below.
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