Inside Out 2 Review

Pixar revisits the emotional inner world of Riley in Inside Out 2, a sequel that seeks to explore the complexity of adolescence while retaining the charm and creativity of its predecessor. While the film delivers dazzling animation and moments of emotional resonance, it struggles with a predictable structure and a lack of innovation, leaving it enjoyable but not quite on par with the original.

Riley (now voiced by Kensington Tallman) is 13 years old, navigating the rocky terrain of puberty while preparing for hockey camp with her best friends Grace and Bree. Meanwhile, inside her mind, the familiar core emotions — Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Fear (Tony Hale) — find themselves upended by the arrival of four new emotions: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos). As Anxiety assumes control, Riley begins to drift away from her old self, leading Joy and the other core emotions on a perilous journey through the recesses of her mind to restore balance before Riley loses herself entirely.

The setup feels strikingly familiar to the first film, with the original’s heartfelt message about the value of all emotions expanded to include the complications of adolescence. While Inside Out 2 introduces new challenges, including Riley’s struggles with self-esteem and social pressures, the narrative often feels more like a retread than a fresh exploration. Joy and her companions’ journey to reclaim their place in Riley’s emotional landscape mirrors their earlier adventure, albeit with new twists like the “Sar-Chasm” and a vibrant hockey-themed landscape influenced by Riley’s competitive aspirations.

One of the film’s strengths lies in its depiction of adolescence. The addition of Anxiety, in particular, reflects the heightened emotions and self-doubt that come with growing up. However, Anxiety’s role in the story feels underdeveloped. While Maya Hawke’s performance is engaging, the character’s potential to explore the generational increase in anxiety among teenagers is left largely untapped, reducing her to a plot device rather than a fully realized part of Riley’s emotional development. Similarly, the other new emotions — Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui — have their moments but fail to achieve the same memorability or depth as the core emotions from the first film.

The film also grapples with its world-building. While Riley’s mind remains a richly imagined space, with features like Personality Islands and memory capsules offering visual metaphors for her inner life, Inside Out 2 raises more questions than it answers. What happens when entire emotions are absent from Riley’s psyche? How do these absences affect her behavior and decisions in the real world? While the movie’s whimsical tone encourages suspension of disbelief, these gaps in logic can make the story feel less grounded and impactful.

On the brighter side, Inside Out 2 boasts the same top-tier animation and humor that Pixar is known for. The visual design is vibrant and inventive, capturing the chaos and wonder of a teenage mind with kaleidoscopic colors and dynamic set pieces. The humor, too, is a standout, with clever gags involving fictional characters trapped in the recesses of Riley’s mind. From a video game crush to an overzealous children’s TV mascot, these side characters often steal the spotlight, offering some of the film’s most memorable moments.

Thematically, the film revisits familiar ground, emphasizing the importance of embracing all emotions as essential to personal growth. While this message remains relevant and poignant, its delivery lacks the subtlety and originality that made the first Inside Out so groundbreaking. The resolution, though heartfelt, feels rushed and overly tidy, leaning heavily on nostalgia rather than charting new emotional territory.

Inside Out 2 is a solid but safe sequel. It succeeds in capturing the awkwardness and emotional intensity of adolescence, and it delivers enough humor and heart to entertain both kids and adults. However, it falls short of the brilliance of its predecessor, held back by a predictable plot and missed opportunities to delve deeper into its themes and characters. While it’s a worthy addition to Pixar’s lineup, it’s unlikely to leave the same lasting impression as the original.