鈥淚nside Out 2鈥 makes it much easier to get a handle on emotions.
Without the learning curve of the first film, the sequel is more understandable and ready for Riley, the 13-year-old owner of said emotions, to put them to the test.
When Riley is on an ice rink, hoping to make a hockey team, a new emotion 鈥 Anxiety 鈥 arrives and soon it鈥檚 battling the others to own the brain. In the process, Joy (Amy Poehler) must keep Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust at bay while Embarrassment, Envy and Ennui move in.
Joy, voiced by Amy Poehler, left, and Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, in a scene from "Inside Out 2."聽
It鈥檚 like playing a familiar game with more players. While situations empower various emotions, it鈥檚 simply a matter of keeping them in check.
Riley (Kensington Tallman) has a competitive spirit that makes her an ideal candidate for a winning team. In the process, however, she鈥檚 ignoring old friends who helped her get where she is. That gets the emotions running and, quickly, there鈥檚 an all-out battle in her head.
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Director Kelsey Mann introduces some Minions-like characters (they鈥檙e blue with yellow accessories 鈥 go figure) and Skittles-like building blocks that seem to tumble with ease.
While Riley is skating down the rink, the emotions in her mind react accordingly. Again, it鈥檚 an easier grasp of the concept and a bit more fun to see the faceoffs.
Poor Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) retreats into his hoodie while Anxiety (Maya Hawke) bounces all over the place. Only Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos) takes things in stride and becomes the one emotion you want to see more of.
Watch the new trailer for Disney & Pixar's Inside Out 2, only in theaters June 14.
A trip on the head of a broccoli sprig conjures a silent movie journey down a treacherous river. It gets a good laugh, too, about eating right and shows those teen years could be fun 鈥 if Mann and company decide to go in that direction. 鈥淚nside Out 2鈥 stays fairly focused, however, and doesn鈥檛 shift into thoughts of dating, sex or experimentation. This is very much a 鈥済od I hope I get it鈥 journey that rights a few wrongs in the process.
Hawke is a nice addition (even though Anxiety gets more time than we鈥檇 like) and Poehler pushes things along at a good clip. Fear and Disgust have new voices (Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling opted out) but Sadness (Phyllis Smith) gets ample time to team up with others. Only Anger (Lewis Black) seems shortchanged and, in a way, that鈥檚 probably OK.
What 鈥淚nside Out 2鈥 does is tee up a theme park attraction. There鈥檚 a visit to Imagination Land and, guess what? Epcot has needed a refresh on its imagination ride for years. Score.
Because this sequel only gets us so far, it鈥檚 a safe bet 鈥淚nside Out 3鈥 is already on the books. It could handle those even-more-precarious worlds and find Riley in situations even 鈥淕rease鈥 couldn鈥檛 imagine.
Nostalgia, an old lady character, tries to make an entrance but the others encourage her to wait, suggesting that time will come (unless this somehow connects to 鈥淯p鈥).
