I really enjoyed the first part of Inside Out. That first part was something different at the time, which managed to connect with many people, including me, of course, as we all waited for a second movie where the antics of the emotions would make us laugh nonstop.
That wait ended a couple of years ago, but it wasn’t until today that it ended for me. And I’m not lying—children’s movies are no longer my preference, but every now and then I embrace that child who still lives inside me.
Now, I did have fun with Inside Out 2, but I won’t deny that I noticed some flaws in its execution. Of course, I understand it’s an animated film aimed at children, but we also have to keep in mind that the rest of the family enjoys these movies too. Not to mention that kids and teenagers are capable of teaching us lessons in areas where we adults think we know it all.
The movie begins with Riley just entering adolescence and almost instantly experiencing all the emotional and physical changes typical of this stage of life. I get that time is limited, and they needed to make it clear to the audience: Riley has changed.
Then there’s Joy, who seems to have learned nothing from the past, once again dismissing Riley’s bad experiences, even though they are just as important as the good ones in shaping the person we will become. I think they could have given more prominence to the other emotions from the first film.
However, they introduce new ones like Envy, Embarrassment, and the rockstar of the moment: Anxiety. I don’t think they should have been presented as brand-new emotions, but rather as evolved ones, since as children, most of us feel these at different times throughout the day.
I also think these new emotions were exaggerated. Not all teenagers feel like Riley, or at least they don’t express it with such explosiveness. That could have been handled better, even with the limited screen time. And let’s not forget that in just one weekend, Riley managed to resolve her emotional struggles as a teenager all on her own.
Maybe they could have included a nod to the addiction to mobile devices and the internet, which has become a very common problem in recent years, and from which parents could have drawn a valuable lesson. Commercial appeal matters, but the messages that endure also define a movie.
I believe the creators simply tried to capitalize on the fame of the first film, and ended up delivering a somewhat empty product with the same clichés as other movies. As entertainment, it fulfills its purpose—I didn’t take my eyes off the screen.
But summarizing, as I already said, they could have made better use of the story to raise awareness among the audience about the real problems that are harming teenagers today.
English isn't my native language. Text translated with DeepL
All images used are screenshots from the movie
Rating: 65/100