Inside Out 2 (2024)

One of Pixar's most critically acclaimed films gets an almost inevitable sequel, with the success of the 2015 original doing serious business at the box office.

Despite its almost universal acclaim, the original didn't quite grab me in the way that it did others; I thought the idea was very strong (each emotion inside a twelve year old's head is its own person, rather like the numbskulls) and certainly the initial trailer was hilarious- we witness a conversation between the twelve year old Riley and her parents, with each group of numbskulls reacting to the conversation.

The film, for me, didn't quite build on its premise, settling down into a quest inside Riley's mind instead of a free for all between many different peoples emotions.

There's no doubting that all of this is very much my own problem and that Inside Out is without doubt, a very fine piece of work. Which begs the question how do you follow it up successfully?

Thankfully, going in knowing more of what I was going to get for this one helped enormously, and I was rather charmed by Inside Out 2. Riley has just turned Thirteen and hits puberty just as she's about to set off for Hockey camp with her two best friends. This, naturally, causes all sorts of problems and throws up new emotions; we're introduced to 'Anxiety', 'Embarrassment', 'Envy', and 'Ennui', as well as one or two extremely brief but amusing appearances by 'Nostalgia' who is told to come back 'maybe in ten years.'

The film wisely sidesteps the idea of 'boys', instead focusing on an all girls hockey camp meaning that the film is able to prioritize Riley herself and more importantly friendship. After Anxiety imposes herself as the new head of the controls in Riley's head, old favourites 'Joy', 'Sadness', 'Fear' and 'Anger' are banished to the depths of Riley's head, and must once again journey across her head to the back of Riley's mind to retrieve the 'Sense of Self.'

Once again there's plenty of ideas on show here, and again what makes it work is the relatability; not just if you were once a teenage girl, the film appeals to all ages. Although at times the laughs that are on show for the grown ups feel a little dated, just like in the original (the gorgeous chiselled foreign man who Riley's Mum still dreams about sticks out a mile- everyone laughs but imagine if that joke was reversed) there's more than enough here to not only justify the film's existence, but for me amplified the original. I really enjoyed being in the company of these characters again, as well as feeling a sense of frustration at Anxiety's actions (just like I did with Sadness in the first one) which proves the film is working.

While it naturally lacks the originality of its predecessor, Inside Out 2 builds on the bonds created in that film between the audience and the characters, and whilst still not a patch on Pixar's finest (Monsters, Inc [2001], Toy Story 1-3 [1995-2010]) it nevertheless ensures that it's a sequel that more than deserves to exist. 7.5/10