Inside Out 2 (2024) Dir: Kelsey Mann
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Earlier this year, I watched this sequel's predecessor for the first time, in part, so that, down the line, I could watch this as well. Directed by Kelsey Mann, this Disney and Pixar production has been pretty popular since its theatrical release. I chose to wait for it to stream, but was no less excited to check it out, having enjoyed the aforementioned first film.
The animation was great once again, although, I must confess, I'm still not quite as keen on the animation designs of the emotion characters, particularly 'Joy'. I was hoping for more world-building inside the mind of Riley, but I found the new settings underwhelming, if I'm honest.
In regards to the story, I can't help but feel as though this one wasn't as creative as the first film. The emotional growth didn't go far enough, for me, and the majority of new characters did very little. To that end, most of the characters involved felt like passengers, rather than active participants who shaped or directed the plot.
However, the sense of family fun and adventure remained just as strong as before. I can certainly see why both parents and children enjoy these films so much. It's easy to forget who the target audience for a film is sometimes. Sure, from a critical perspective, the story isn't special, but if it works for kids, it works for kids.
Amy Poehler provided near enough the same performance as in the first film, which is not to say it was bad or anything, only that I didn't feel as though she provided anything new. For what it's worth, I do enjoy her in this role - I think she has the ideal voice for the character.
I thought that the other standout voice acting performances came from the likes of Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Phyllis Smith and Ayo Edebiri. I thought that each of them added some delightful energy to the fray, while the trio of Liza Lapira, Tony Hale and Lewis Black failed to leave much of an impression.
Overall, this may have been a pretty safe and samey sequel from Disney and Pixar, but it seems to have hit the spot for its intended audience. It struggles to balance its increased character list, but maintains the sense of fun that helped the previous film be a success.
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