Review of Toy Story 2 (1999) by Noah A — 15 Jun 2015

During the production of "A Bug´s Life", Disney came up with the idea of making a direct-to-video sequel of the beloved classic "Toy Story" but they were so impressed with the art presented by Pixar that they decided to release the sequel in theaters but the Pixar staff wasn't happy with this decision. With a trouble production, three directors, a story that was written in one weekend and a release date to accomplish, this sequel had all the signs of being a cash grab/unoriginal sequel but it somehow managed to equal or even overshadow the original. How could this trouble production become this?

After the events of the original, Andy´s Toys continue to enjoy their lives by making Andy a happy kid but due to a confusion, Woody is taken by a toy collector thus Buzz, Slinky, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head and Rex go to save their friend.

Throughout the history of cinema, there have been a handful of sequels that are arguably better than the original -"The Empire Strikes Back", "Aliens", "The Godfather Part ll", "The Dark Knight", "The Wrath of Khan", "Dawn of the Dead", and Terminator 2" - but "Toy Story 2" is the only animated film that undeniably fits in this category of films. This film is a natural progression form the last film. The story is more clever and raises some interesting ideas, the old characters funnier than last time and are even more developed, plus the new ones are more than worthy additions to this roster of iconic characters; the soundtrack continues to be a standout, the jokes are better written than last time, some unforgettable sequences, scenes that will make you feel a variety of sentiments (stronger than its predecessor), a pacing that knows how and when to go from an emotional scene to a hilarious one, some references are thrown into the mix and work perfectly, the humongous entertaining value remains, and the animation suffered from a major improvement.

"Toy Story 2" may not be as iconic as its predecessor but it is undeniably a superior film as it recreates the wonder and fun of this world but adding some development in the story and the characters. A masterpiece in every way.