Inside Out 2

The Pixar sequel retains its' predecessor's emotion and humor, if not its depth

Pixar built its reputation on continuously outdoing itself with original and unique concepts. However, like much of Hollywood, the studio eventually succumbed to the trend of sequels and spin-offs. Some follow-ups were justified, such as Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010), but others, like Finding Dory (2016), The Incredibles 2 (2018), and Lightyear (2022), have been largely forgettable.

Inside Out 2 (2024) is the latest in Pixar’s lineup of sequels, revisiting the anthropomorphized emotions inside the mind of San Francisco teenager Riley (Kensington Tallman). As Riley enters puberty, the familiar core emotions—Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and Anger (Lewis Black)—are joined by new arrivals, including Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment (Paul Walter-Hauser), and Envy (Ayo Edebiri). The result is a clash as they all struggle to influence Riley’s actions.

The film marks the directorial debut of Kelsey Mann, who previously worked as an animator on The Good Dinosaur (2015), Onward (2020), and Elemental (2023). Mann faithfully preserves the tone and visual aesthetic of the original, skillfully maintaining Pixar’s signature balance between adult and children’s entertainment. Inside Out 2 also delivers an emotionally charged finale, one that is sure to move even the most stoic viewers to tears. However, the film struggles to seamlessly integrate its mature explorations of psychology and mental health with the more playful, child-oriented elements.

Pixar is at its best when crafting stories that resonate equally with adults and children. Inside Out 2, however, doesn’t find the perfect blend of these elements, instead alternating between sequences designed for adults and those aimed at children. The result is a film that frequently shifts in tone, with an overuse of puns and forced side quests in the second act. Much of the first two acts feel hollow, with amusing but ultimately inconsequential sequences that fail to drive the story forward. Fortunately, the film is salvaged by its third act, which delivers a deeply introspective and emotionally powerful climax. Yet, because the rest of the film only half-heartedly builds toward this resolution, the ending, while effective, feels less earned and more like an emotional payoff the story stumbles upon.

Visually, the animation remains consistent with its 2015 predecessor. However, given the film’s reported $200 million budget, the textural quality of characters’ hair and skin—particularly for its more stylized and cartoonish figures—feels like a downgrade compared to the meticulous rendering seen in Soul (2020) and Turning Red (2022). This could be due to several factors: industry-wide pushback from animators against grueling working conditions, creative choices by the filmmakers, or simple mismanagement. While not glaringly distracting, keen-eyed viewers may notice a certain rushed or less refined quality to the visuals.

In the end, Inside Out 2 is an enjoyable Pixar film, albeit one that feels disjointed in its blend of emotional depth and childhood entertainment. The ending delivers the expected emotional punch, but this sequel—fairly or not—pales in comparison to the depth and meticulous storytelling of the original. Nevertheless, even a lesser Pixar film remains superior to the average animated movie, offering an entertaining and heartfelt experience at the theater.

7.4/10