What Makes "Toy Story 2" Great?

Pixar's sequel to their debut film was asked to do almost the impossible at the time by being on par with its landmark predecessor. It not only proved to be as good as the original, but I think it's even better. This is thanks to a great cast of characters, and Pixar's ability to explore profound and deep ideas despite being a "Kid's Movie".

During a Yard Sale at Andy's house, Woody is stolen by a collector after saving a fellow toy, so Buzz and the gang set out to find and rescue Woody and bring him back home. But Woody meets some new toys including a cowgirl named Jessie, a horse named Bullseye, and a prospector named Stinky Pete. They tell Woody that he along with them is actually a rare collector's item from an old TV show called "Woody's Roundup". They are all to be brought to a toy museum in Japan to be preserved and this makes Woody ponder between staying with Andy or going to the museum with his new friends.

The main reason I think Toy Story 2 surpasses the original is the more thought-provoking and mature themes compared to the first film. In the opening, Andy accidentally makes a slight rip in one of Woody's arms, which causes Andy to put him on the shelf. This causes Woody to have an existential crisis about being forgotten by Andy. Then when he meets his roundup gang, he begins to think about the inevitable fact that andy will eventually grow up and not play with toys anymore. This idea is further cemented when Jessie tells Woody about her experience with her former owner Emily. In an iconic montage that has made so many people burst into tears, we see Jessie's story. Starting with true happiness from being played with, and ending with heartbreak when she is discarded after Emily grows up. This is the final nail that makes Woody decide to stay and be permanently displayed in a museum where he will never have to experience that kind of pain with Andy.

This is a fascinating dilemma that they give Woody here, and when Buzz and the gang come to rescue Woody, we get a great exchange between the two. Woody tells Buzz of his plans to go to the museum and Buzz is of course against this idea. Seeing Buzz trying to knock some sense into Woody is genuinely poetic, as it was Woody in the first film that made Buzz realize his value after finding out he was a toy. Buzz even tells Woody "Your a child's plaything, you are a toy!" the same words Woody told him previously. It's this reality check that Buzz gives Woody that makes Woody realize the mistake in his decision. His connection with Andy is a truly beautiful thing, even if it won't last forever. Woody states "I can't stop Andy growing up, but I wouldn't miss it for the world".

Despite all these emotional ideas, the film doesn't lose itself in these messages. This is a really funny movie, possibly one of the most comic films Pixar has ever made. There are so many great lines and moments that still get a kick out of me. My favorite is when Buzz encounters another Buzz in the toy store who thinks he is the real deal, and Buzz has to deal with the same sort of nonsense he was spouting in the first film. There is also a clever use of the Barbie brand in this film with a humourous sequence of "Tour Guide Barbie" guiding the toys around the store and giving a stereotypical tour guide facade. The film is also more creative than the first film regarding the concept of toys navigating the world. there's this entertaining sequence where the toys hid under traffic cones in order to cross a crowded intersection, causing a massive traffic jam. Genuine mundane things for humans like taking the elevator or navigating an airport, and driving a car can be quite the adventure for a small toy, and the film takes full advantage of that fact in various creative ways.

In terms of sequels, Toy Story 2 is in the same league as The Empire Strikes Back and The Godfather Part 2. Everything that was great about the first film is here and then some.