There was a time when Pixar could do no wrong. As a result, everyone was shocked when Toy Story spin-off Lightyear underperformed, though that did come after former Disney CEO Bob Chapek made the controversial decision to dump titles like Luca, Soul, and Turning Red on Disney+ during the pandemic.
Elemental struggled at the box office last year (even if it managed to shake off "flop" status once its theatrical run concluded) and all eyes are on Inside Out 2 to now "save" Pixar.
The sequel is currently eyeing a $135 million global debut and early reviews could help it exceed expectations at the box office.
As we write this, the Inside Out follow-up sits at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes with 114 reviews counted. According to the Critics Consensus, "Spicing things up with the wrinkle of teenage angst, Inside Out 2 clears the head and warms the heart by living up to its predecessor's emotional intelligence."
While 2015's Inside Out's shadow looms large over this sequel, it still sounds like a worthy successor and a movie which should be well worth watching on the big screen this weekend.
Have a read through some reviews for Inside Out 2 below along with that initial Tomatometer reveal (via Toonado.com).
But wanting Inside Out 2 to match the first movie was always set to be an unlikely challenge as it was such a unique concept. What the sequel does achieve is being a worthy follow-up that expands the world with brilliant tweaks to the concept, as well as delivering witty gags that simplify big ideas. [4/5] - Digital Spy
Through this decade so far, Pixar’s films have held great ideas that haven’t quite reached their full potential. This is probably its best film since Coco, and best sequel since Toy Story 3. [4/5] - Empire Online
Either way, Inside Out 2’s view of growing up has nothing in it as powerful or real as the When She Loved Me song from Toy Story 2 – but there are a lot of entertaining moments, including a great demonstration of what sulky teen sarcasm does to the tectonic plates of your emotional geology. [3/5] - The Guardian
While its chaotic new cast serves a clear purpose, Inside Out 2 is more metaphor than meaning. It explains plenty about the confusing emotions associated with puberty, often in intelligent ways, but it rarely lets them be felt or experienced, the way its predecessor did. It also fails to live up to Pixar's own high watermarks for emotionally driven tales of adolescence – movies like Luca and Turning Red – so it feels like a step down in several regards. [7/10] - IGN
It’s a story about the universal chaos of adolescence told by a studio that once prided itself on being original, but now — after suffering a little public embarrassment — shares every teenager’s mortal fear of being different. Like Riley, Pixar seems determined to forget what made it so special in the first place. Here’s hoping that 'Inside Out 3' leaves plenty of room for Regret. [C-] - IndieWire
It all takes place against an endlessly inventive backdrop of out-there imaginings of the inner workings of a young girl’s mind, rich in colour, texture and a steady stream of sight gags. Not that you have to be 13 and female to identify with the perils of this particular evolving personality, and if you can’t find something that speaks to your own experiences, as either a kid or a parent, you probably need your own head examined. [4/5] - Radio Times
Pixar has rightfully taken knocks for sequels and prequels that don’t hold up to the beloved originals. Recent films like 'Turning Red,' 'Luca' and 'Soul' have the novel spark that's missing from, say, 'Monsters University,' 'Cars 3' and 'Lightyear.' But 'Inside Out 2' is one of the better revisits in the studio’s history because of how well it knows its audience. [3.5/5] - USA Today
'Inside Out 2' marks a triumphant creative return for Pixar, bringing off the thing that this studio, at its best, has done better than anyone: finding the sweet spot that merges the gaze of children and adults. The movie is really about the micro choices we all make to sculpt our personalities. - Variety