‘Incredibles 2’ Review

The Incredibles is a film that people loved when it first came out and to this day it’s considered one of Pixar’s best movies. The first film left audiences wanting more and after 14 years, Pixar finally delivers a sequel. Was it worth the wait? The short answer is yes. It still does not surpass the original, but it comes pretty close.

Plot

After the events of the first film, superheroes are still illegal. The Parr family is still struggling to live in a world where they cannot use their powers. A wealthy businessman (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister (Catherine Keener) approach the Incredibles family and Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) with a proposition to make superheroes popular with the world once more and make them legal. 

The plan is for Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) to fight crime while Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) stays home with the kids. Each one experiences their own challenges. 

Mr. Incredible has to take care of Jack-Jack who is starting to exhibit random, uncontrollable powers, while Elastigirl deals with a new villain known as the Screenslaver. Together, the Incredibles family must come together in order to save the day and bring superheroes back.

Characters

The returning characters are once again fantastic in this movie. The film focuses on Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible mostly, and they have great chemistry with one another and their kids. Elastigirl gets the chance to be a badass and her action scenes are awesome. Seeing Mr. Incredible trying to be a stay-at-home dad are some of the funniest scenes of the movie. Hunter and Nelson do a great job with their vocal performances.

The kids are also really great. Violet (Sarah Vowell) continues where she left off in the first movie where she is dealing with teenage life and having superpowers at the same time. Her relationship with her crush from the first movie comes to play a lot in this movie and it’s very funny. 

Dash is once again really funny and he has more of a role than he did in the first film. He is voiced by Huck Milner this time but this kid sounds very similar to the original so it’s hardly noticeable. Jackson also does a great job as Frozone and he is in this movie more than the first which is nice to see. Edna Mode (Brad Bird) is also back and of course, she is hilarious as always, but I do wish she was in it more.

Odenkirk and Keener are also great as the brother and sister duo who recruit The Incredibles. Odenkirk has a lot of charm and sincerity, while Keener is more reserved and laidback. There are also new superhero characters and they are all pretty cool. They have interesting, colorful designs, and their powers are cool. I liked how they added more variety to the movie.

However, the scene-stealer of this movie is the baby, Jack-Jack. Every scene he is in is hilarious and very entertaining. Seeing all of his powers was more surprising and funny than the next one. However, sometimes his random powers felt a bit too convenient to the plot, but they were still cool. There is a scene between him and a raccoon that might be the best scene in the movie.

The only character I had a problem with was the villain. The Screenslaver is a cool villain, but the plot twist where we find out who the Screenslaver actually is entirely too predictable. I guessed who the villain was the second I saw the character. This villain is definitely underwhelming when compared to Syndrome from the first film.

Direction

Brad Bird returns to direct this sequel and he does a great job. The animation is fast and exciting and the camerawork finds cool angles and doesn’t cut around too much. The action scenes are very bright, colorful, and energetic, however, they are a bit redundant. 

There are three big action scenes in the beginning, middle, and climax but all of them are essentially the same. It’s just the Incredibles trying to stop a fast-moving, large vehicle from crashing into something. While they are entertaining, I would’ve liked some more variety.

The animation is also amazing in this film. The level of detail put into this film is awesome and the action looks beautiful. The powers are also animated very well. It does a great job at blending realistic animation with cartoonish designs.

The humor in this movie is great. It’s probably funnier than the first film. There are a lot of visual gags with powers, especially Jack-Jack, that are hilarious. Bird has great comedic timing in his direction. 

I also liked how this film focused more on the family of the Incredibles. The first movie mostly focused on Mr. Incredible, but I think this one does a better job at showing how the family interacts with one another and how important their dynamic is.

Score

Michael Giacchino returns to do the music for the film and it is amazing once again. It sounds like a 60’s spy movie but still feels fresh. It’s perfectly placed in the action scenes, but still does a good job at providing emotion during the more emotional moments. If you loved the music from the first movie, then you will love this one as well.

Final Thoughts

Incredibles 2 is an absolute delight. It is a film that kids and parents will be able to enjoy together, which is what Pixar does best. It never feels like it is stooping down to a kids level but it is never too violent. 

It is a very adult family film. While I do think that the villain and action scenes are not quite as good as the first, the dynamic of the family is stepped up in this film. It’s funny, charming, and will entertain you from beginning to end.

Rating: 4/5

P.S. if you are someone who is sensitive to flashing lights, be cautious because this film has a lot of bright, flashing lights.