Film Review - Inside Out 2
Images courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.
Inside Out 2 is the best horror movie to come out this year. Director Kelsey Mann and the filmmakers at Pixar deliver a sequel that will satisfy fans of the original film and remind everyone that being thirteen years old was truly the worst time of our lives.
The emotions that live inside young Riley’s mind are back. Joy (Amy Poehler) is still the optimistic leader of the gang and continues to live in harmony with Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust. However, one night, the puberty alarm goes off. Led by Anxiety (Maya Hawke), a new group of more complex emotions moves in, ready to shake things up for Riley now that she’s a teenager.
Even at the 20 minute-mark, Inside Out 2 can easily be labelled as Pixar's strongest film in the last few years. Director Mann and his screenwriters, Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, take the first film’s concept and extend it slightly, bringing the sequel to predictable but necessary places. However, that doesn’t mean Pixar doesn’t take the audience on an emotional roller-coaster because this is one of the funniest and CRINGIEST Pixar films since Turning Red. The audience will take a trip down memory lane, confront their childhood video game crush, and recollect all the embarrassing remarks they made to make friends in high school. That being said, Inside Out 2 is also incredibly insightful as it explores identity and beliefs through visual storytelling. Early in the film, Joy and Sadness are in awe, observing the Belief System of Riley’s mind. It’s a reminder of the wonder and beauty of Pixar’s animation and thoughtfulness.
Inside Out 2 is also different emotionally from its predecessor. While the first film has heartbreaking moments, the sequel challenges the audience to confront their relationship with these new emotions. The audience is invited to empathise with and understand their complexity by the film's end. That’s largely due to the vocal performances of the new cast. The newcomers to Riley’s mind, including Paul Walter Hauser, Adèle Exarchopoulos and The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri, bring unexpected energy to Embarrassment, Ennui and Envy respectively. But Maya Hawke's Anxiety brings a new heart to the film as her warm voice highlights why Anxiety does what she does. Hawke’s performance also creates a juxtaposition for Poehler’s Joy which, in turn, strengthens her more emotional moments.
Inside Out 2 is another easy home run for Pixar, especially when it has a strong message that everyone can relate to.
Inside Out 2 is screening in cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.