Incredibles 2 movie review.

The Incredibles was a very unique entry in Pixar's lineup, a semi-satirical take on the superhero genre, and the studio's first film to feature an all humans cast. While I thought it was not a perfect film, it certainly lived up to its title with its tightly focused storyline and stylized kinetic action. But what really made that film so strong is the superhero family at the core of the film, that despite their powers were very imperfect people, and great characters at their center, that even without the heroics it would still have been a great movie. It was very much a passion project for director Brad Bird, who'd just come off the Iron Giant, and proved himself a highly capable animation director.

So well-received was the film, that for years fans had repeatedly asked for a follow-up. And with Pixar going full steam recently with sequels, I don't think any made more sense than this one to receive it. However, there was always the pervading fear in my mind that the film wouldn't live up to everyone's hype - especially with Bird coming off a bomb with Tomorrowland, and that maybe this had more to do with business than passion. I'm happy to report that it is the latter. In fact, I think a more extreme case can be argued... that Incredibles 2 may actually exceed its predecessor.

With superheroes still outlawed and the Super Relocation program set to be terminated, Bob Parr - aka. Mr Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Helen Parr - aka. Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) accept the invitation of Devtech CEO Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener), to propagate the public legalization of superheroes, with Elastigirl as its poster girl. While Helen embarks on those missions, Bob stays at home to take care of their children, self-conscious teen Violet (Sarah Vowell), struggling student Dash (Huck Milner), and baby Jack-Jack who is developing new powers. But the whole family, and close friend Lucius - aka. Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) will have to team up when hypnotic villain the Screenslaver emerges with the intention of crushing the supers.

I was in a very unique position watching Incredibles 2, as I saw it back to back with the first film in IMAX. And I think that really enhances the viewing experience, as it gives you a great sense of how things have evolved, and what elements have been left largely unchanged. The film doesn't even waste time getting back into the story, beginning where the first left off with the fight against John Ratzenberger's Underminer. You immediately get the feeling that we haven't even missed a beat, almost as if we never even left, and It feels like home in a way. And it further accentuates what stars of the show the family are, as this sequence is incredibly fun to watch because of their interactions and petty disagreements, including this funny recurring gag of tossing baby Jack-Jack to another person like a game of tag, as we see each of them use their powers to their full capabilities.

But those super-antics still come with their caveats, as the supers are still forbidden by law to engage in heroics. While there are those who lobby for them to be able to come back, perception over the damage as a result of their actions still taints their reputation, including the government's new intention of shutting down the SRP (headed by Johnathan Banks' Rick Dicker). Out of this comes the opportunistic hand of Bob Odenkirk's Winston Deavor, himself an advocate and fan of the heroes, to bring them back to the spotlight. While such a character could have been a pale imitation of Syndrome, Winston's faults are less obsession, and more predicated on naivete. He's a well-meaning character and a killer spokesman, but one who sees these weighty issues in a very simplistic way, in which he appears quite blind of nostalgia.

And so as his campaign takes shape, it's Helen who eventually takes to the spotlight in solo operations. Despite having adjusted comfortably into the life of motherhood, this new assignment brings out this new zest in her, as she reconnects with her glory days "right up there with the big dogs" and out of Bob's shadow. With a wink and a smile she even highlights her own hypocrisy of scolding Bob for his nights listening to police scanners, undoing her shackles and falling right back in love with the excitement of her time spent at the top, bringing with her great style saving the day. That freedom is one area where she also connects with Catherine Keener's Evelyn, Devtech's chief inventor. She essentially serves as the shadow to Winston who markets her ideas, the bitter realist to his naive optimist, that slowly begins coming out of her shell and crafting her own presence upon sharing this new connection with Helen.

But while Helen has the time of her life back in action, things aren't so easy for Bob. Because Helen was always the glue that held the family together, in her absence Bob has been forced to adapt quickly to the role of stay-at-home dad, when he's always been the one taking direct action to provide. Bob is very rusty when it comes to tackling everything going on with his kids (resulting in some funny moments), going to the point of exhaustion, only compounded by Elastigirl's prominence while Mr. Incredible waits on the sidelines. And its goes beyond public image as well, as even Dash who is struggling in his school work remarks maybe it's best that Helen be the one to help him, in a one-sided parental favoritism making Bob feel inadequate and unbalanced.

Even more challenging are Violet's and Jack-Jack's cases. Violet may have actually become the standout character here, and the heart of the film, following early embarrassment in the presence of her crush Tony Rydinger, that renders her awkward and emotionally unbalanced, to the point of outright resenting her superhero background in very dramatic fits. At the same time, Jack-Jack, the Parr's seemingly powerless baby, begins developing new powers that everyone struggles to maintain control of. I was initially worried if Jack-Jack may be over-abused for laughs, but the film does a great job of keeping Jack-Jack to the side when there is no use of him. As a result, he becomes the breakout character, garnering all the biggest laughs in the film (and there are some real howlers), especially as Supers-costume designer Edna (Brad Bird himself) takes a particular shine to him.

And so once again, remove all the superheroics, these characters would still be great, full of dysfunctional and yet very relatable issues and quirks, each thriving off of the strength of the others. It creates a great sense of drama and emotional investment as the film gets into the great big set-pieces, of which are plentiful.

In addition to the family writing, Brad Bird proves no slouch when it comes to delivering on the action front, with some genuinely rousing sequences interlaced between all the slower-paced moments of tenderness, pushing Pixar's animation team - and sound designer Ren Klyce - to their limits once again, as they let all of their enthusiasm out in gigantic bursts of unbridled fun. One sequence in particular, involving the aforementioned villain the Screenslaver, proves a great exercise in artistry. The Screenslaver's entire gimmick is that he's a hypnotist who relies on screens to control his victims' minds, and so the standout action scene involves Helen fighting him in a cage surrounding by his hypno-wave screens, as the art-style begins to more closely resemble the pages of a comic book. And much like the first film, the genuine threat of violence and personal stakes aid well in giving the film an added intensity, coupled with Bird's signature dark sense of humor, that give the film a much needed edge that both kids and adults can appreciate.

Factor in Samuel L. Jackson's cool return as iceman Frozone, and more Mikey Giacchino in jazzy action mode, and Incredibles 2 may have honestly been the most fun I've had at the movies this year.

I try not to let hyperbole cloud my judgment of a movie, when I prefer to lay out my thoughts calmly and without bias, but even now, my mood on the film is still pretty high. I genuinely can't think of anything in the film that I disliked or would change, even if I nit-picked. It's just such a well-rounded movie, and another testament to how well Pixar can work a sequel when in the right hands. For what could have easily been slapped together hastily simply to please the fans, Bird's passion behind the project certainly wasn't lost in translation, and the result is one supremely entertaining good time, and a much-needed breath of fresh air in the thick of the ongoing glut of superhero flicks.

Between Incredibles 2 and Isle of Dogs, the year in animation looks to be REAL competitive.


***** / *****