Disney is going through a fairly tumultuous decade so far in terms of their theatrical offerings. Temporary business practices such as releasing new films on Disney+ AND in theaters hurting them financially. Too many live-action remakes of their animated film catalog. And worst of all, the original content being put out either underperforming financially or causing further rifts into our current social climate. Simply put, Disney has been in serious need of a break from their ongoing bad luck.
Keeping this recent history in mind, it pleases me to inform you that Disney has finally received that aforementioned break in the form of "Inside Out 2". This is Pixar's follow-up to their highly celebrated 2015 feature "Inside Out", which basically looks into what happens emotionally in the human mind. As was the case with the original "Inside Out", we follow a young girl named Riley as she navigates her emotions through various life events, both big and small.
This go around, however, Riley is in her teenage years, and you know what that means: puberty. Instead of navigating a big move from one city to another like the first film, "Inside Out 2" sees Riley undergo serious emotional changes amidst being at a hockey camp. On paper, this may not sound like much of a big deal. In fact, I felt that the stakes were much lower in this sequel than the original.
That being said, new emotions now enter Riley's mind. Joining Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger from the previous "Inside Out" in helping Riley navigate her life are Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment. The latter emotion is the best addition to this sequel as Embarrassment is exactly what you would picture this emotion to be. You can see Embarrassment hiding awkwardly in his sweatshirt after he hesitates for no reason. And while that happens, Riley says and does awkward teenage things that cause her to blush after the fact.
The new emotion that gets the most screen time, however, is Anxiety. Given that one of Riley's current crises involves her friends going to another school, I suppose it's understandable. Having said that, I'd be lying if I said the Anxiety character didn't overstay her welcome. Maybe just like in real-life, I treat anxiety and stress like a disease. Something to be removed rather than to live with.
It makes sense why the Anxiety character does what she does for Riley's well-being. And yet, I'm somehow not sure that by the film's end if anxiety is really a good thing to have at all. Given how things resolve in the end, I'm getting some mixed signals. Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are on the matter. Obviously, the film intended us to ask ourselves some tough questions and encourage lengthy discussions about how and why teenagers behave the way they do.
As was the case with the original, "Inside Out 2" continues to do a good job at exploring this psychological phenomena in a way that can keep kids and adults equally engaged and on board. Additional lore is brought to the forefront, namely a person's core beliefs. This film was wise to simply focus on what Riley thinks is right and wrong as opposed to going for religious or political beliefs, which could have been the case in less capable hands.
And in answer to your question, this film was not directed by Pete Docter, who helmed the 2015 original. Although Docter serves as an executive producer, "Inside Out 2" is the directorial debut for Kelsey Mann, who started working for Pixar just over a decade ago, when "Monsters University" (2013) released. The pacing is smooth most of the way through, with some slowdown in between the second and third acts.
Specifically, the typical all hope is lost scenario, only until it's back again just a minute or two later. A tired cliche in modern family films that frankly doesn't need to be there any more. I'm thankful that the rest of the film operates on a less routine level. For example, I like the experimentation with the film's animation styles.
There's some spoofs of characters from "Dora the Explorer" and the "Final Fantasy" games that get some of the film's comedic highlights. Each one uses a different animation style, either 2D animation that you see on kids shows or graphics you see on a PS3 game. Riley has become more detailed and expressive since we last saw her in the original. You can see her blush more, per the Embarrassment character's actions. She's opening up more both with her discussions and how she expresses her emotions.
Although the stakes are significantly lower this go around, you can clearly see Riley progressing as a character and coming to terms with her current lifestyle. On that level, "Inside Out 2" was worth the wait, even if Disney and Pixar's track record for sequels is very hit and miss. The wait for this film wasn't as noticeable and awkward as "Incredibles 2" was with its inexplicable 14 year gap.
Unlike future projects like "Toy Story 5" and past endeavors such as the "Cars" sequels, I do see the "Inside Out" film series lending itself well to further follow-ups down the line. It already hosts a huge advantage with its subject matter since our own emotions change and evolve constantly over time, especially into adulthood. Naturally, this peek into the human psyche lends itself well to a potentially prosperous future.
Disney just needs to make sure and see that reality clear as day, and not draw a different conclusion altogether, like only putting out sequels. Disney is already enjoying enormous box office success with this title, which is a good sign. I might personally find "Inside Out 2" a good Pixar outing as opposed to a great one like the original was. It is a much needed step in the right direction though. A necessary step towards the future we need for Disney rather than live-action remakes that would make Embarrassment blush.
Final Verdict: 8/10
Comentários