The 15-year-old me was bawling my eyes out when I watched Inside Out for the first time. It is one of those films that made me feel the true magic of Pixar movies. Ever since that day, I have been waiting for another installment in this franchise. And so it was a dream come true moment to watch the sequel today on the bigger screen and here is my detailed review of Inside Out 2.
Note: This is a spoiler-free review, however, if you haven’t seen the first part yet, this article contains some minor spoilers about the franchise.
Ideal Expansion of Riley’s World
After perfectly exploring the childhood of Riley, Pixar set out to explore the teenage phase of our prodigy in the sequel, Inside Out 2. Everyone will feel how Pixar effectively retained the elements from the prequel and ingeniously kept expanding the tale to new heights with brand-new emotions and probes into more creative regions within the mind.
As the first part delved into a major transition in Riley’s life, we witnessed a complete picture of the emotions at play in numerous incidents. In the sequel’s case, the film primarily explores the coming-of-age transitioning period with the birth of new emotions, but within a single event. Therefore, the movie falls a little short in contrast to its predecessor. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The sequel is still well-written and masterfully crafted on every level, but it passes by you so quickly and makes you wish it lasted longer.
The Perfect Additions to the Already-Adored Ensemble
If you aren’t aware, Inside Out 2 introduces us to four new emotions that we all deal with every day once we enter adolescence period, i.e., anxiety, envy, embarrassment, and ennui (boredom). These are indeed well-thought inclusions, which gives us the chance to examine how our emotions work in a relatable manner. Not just that, with more feelings in force, the sequel ride gets even more amusing as you watch the power struggle between the older and new emotions.
Be it the adorable or discomforting moments, the star-studded cast, which includes Amy Poehler (joy), Maya Hawke (anxiety), Phyllis Smith (sadness), Ayo Edebiri (envy), Adèle Exarchopoulos (ennui), and others, absolutely nailed their roles. With a nuanced and emotive approach to depicting the emotions (which is extremely needed to portray them), the cast made the characters and their arcs feel expressive and meaningful with their impeccable voice-acting performances.
State of the Art Animation Packed With Ebullient OST
When it comes to Pixar Animation Studios, there is no way we can doubt their animation quality. Over the years, it is no secret that they have been elevating the animation standards of Hollywood. Once again, they have proved why they are the best in the business with their artistry in Inside Out 2.
Apart from their excellent animation quality, they also shine with their meticulously crafted designs throughout the movie. For example, the artistic vision of depicting belief systems, brainstorming, overthinking, sarcasm, etc. was the icing on the cake.
Michael Giacchino, who worked on the first film, returned to deliver an exuberant and soulful soundtrack that stirs every ’emotion’. This brilliantly acts as the backbone of the film and makes it as heartfelt as the prequel.
Final Verdict: Pixar Strikes Again
Inside Out 2 is a thought-provoking and comforting journey that reminds us of a powerful message “It is okay to not be okay” and reiterates “All the emotions we experience make us who we are.” We already know these lessons but tend to forget often. The film is packed with a supremely well-written story told beautifully with witty humor sprinkled on top and deeply resonating emotions flowing thoroughly.
It is an excellent film in all respects but may suffer from the aspect of overshadowing of the masterpiece prequel, especially in the case of emotional connection. Nevertheless, It is unquestionably among the best sequels Pixar has ever produced and effortlessly provides the iconic catharsis experience for which Pixar is renowned. Moreover, Pixar successfully restores your faith in sequels again in the current era where the movie market is being filled with cash-grabbing sequels.
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Aparna Ukil
