Some of my favorite critics have serious issues with Alex Garland's speculative fiction about a near-future collapse of democracy in the U.S. And I just don't get it.

Linklater's smart, good-humored comedy looks ready to launch a fantastic franchise starring Glen Powell... and then fumbles the ball and loses the game just when it seemed like a sure win.

While it doesn't quite reach the heights of Pixar's golden-age masterpieces, we can be grateful for the wisdom and whimsy of this surprising sequel.