Inside Out 2

So I went to see *Inside Out 2* with the family this past weekend, and I must say, it was subpar at best. This movie adds fuel to the burning fire that says, “Sequels are never as good as the original film.” Some movies don’t need sequels, and *Inside Out 2* is one of those movies. The movie was predictable from the jump. I feel like whoever wrote the film only wrote it because they needed a check. Instead of writing this film as if they needed a check, I wish they would’ve written this film as if RENT WAS DUE (If you know, you know). I would like to point out that June Squibb playing Nostalgia was GREAT casting; her lines in the movie were few, but she subtly stole the show.

It’s cool that Riley is growing up and we get to see her next chapter in life as she’s sharpening her hockey skills, prepping for high school, and experiencing a wider range of emotions as she gets older. Her puberty experience was written as if she were Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde with a twist of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Rather than a teenager riding the emotional roller coaster that we’ve all ridden, they managed to make it an anxiety-based experience. I understand that the premise of the movie franchise is based on emotion, but the movie was mainly based around the anxiety and bad decisions that puberty brings. We all understand that teenagers are going through a lot internally, with their hormones changing, their bodies changing, and their mental hygiene going up and down, but it seems like the writers intended to blame Riley’s mishaps on anxiety rather than peer pressure and lack of experience. 

I’d have to give *Inside Out 2* a 6/10. The animation was A1, and the ability to integrate three separate animation styles at once was amazing, but the storyline lacked accuracy and intrigue. I’m also not quite sure which audience the movie was written for. I doubt most pre-teens and teens are checking for *Inside Out 2*, but the young children from 4-9 years old probably won’t fully comprehend the idea of anxiety or puberty (yet). I hate to give such a highly anticipated sequel the mid score that I did, but I think even my 6/10 was me being nice. I hope you go see the film for yourself and let me know what you think!