Maltin's assessment hits the target exactly: if anything, this tops the entertaining first outing of Buzz and Woody. The first had as its focus a rather contrived rivalry and reconciliation between the two, which seldom made one forget these were only inanimate toys; this one somehow makes one almost suspend disbelief in the stronger characterizations of the two "leads" and the supporting cast; and in the development of the symbiotic relationship between toys and their owners, much like that of pets and owners. The rapid alternation of the toys between movement/speech and stasis whenever a human looks their way was very impressive. The garage sale signs and the box dumped behind the Goodwill type truck I found very touching. A particular "kick" for me was "Guide Barbie" in the toy store and the chorus line of Barbies behind the penguin in the last number. Perhaps it's my male bias, but I found it rewarding to note the Barbie shallowness as compared with the lifelike personalities of the other toys.
Review of Toy Story 2
