All this poses a dilemma for Woody: If he escapes, the others become "worthless" and will go back into boxes. Besides, in the museum he'll be admired by many children for years, instead of living under the threat of being outgrown by Andy.

Will Buzz and the others find Woody in time? Will Woody abandon Jessie and turn down his shot at toy "immortality"? It's rousing stuff, and a trio of directors (including computer animation pioneer John Lasseter) keeps the action moving at a nearly breathless pace.

And the script is so loaded with observant humor so funny that it offers something for everyone. Children will enjoy the inventive sight gags, while the pop-culture parodies (including those of "Jurassic Park" and the "Star Wars" movies) will delight savvy adults.

Again, though, that's not to slight the actors involved. Hanks, in particular, brings Woody's plight home with a very "human" performance, while Allen again manages to send up his macho image here and Cusack nearly steals the show from under them.

The film also makes effective use of music, including another terrific Randy Newman score and a couple of different reprises of "You've Got a Friend in Me." And the film's one original song, sung by Sarah McLachlan, provides the film's most touching moment.

"Toy Story 2" is rated G, though it does contain some animated violence (mostly slapstick in nature) and some mildly vulgar humor (including a suggestive sight gag).