Fourteen years after the release of the original, everyone's favorite super family (sorry, X-Men) returns in Incredibles 2. Audiences will absolutely enjoy this movie as much as its predecessor because of the many parts that make this film so... ahem... incredible. This is indeed a worthy sequel that our current superhero-ridden American film scene desperately needs.
Incredibles 2 picks up right where Pixar's beloved 2004 animated classic left off: with a villainous new threat to the city known as The Underminer. The Parrs and other superheroes are still seen as criminals, but when Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) is recruited by a pair of philanthropic siblings (Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener), they believe they will be able to change the public's perception for good. While Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) struggles to stay out of the spotlight and control the kids, a new threat arises known as Screenslaver who is determined to put an end to supers once and for all.
Like many others, I was initially upset when I found out that this movie occurred directly after the events of the first, but it thankfully provides a smooth transition into the next part of the Parrs' story. Even though the two films were released more than a decade apart, it seemed like no time had passed at all in this universe and the movie even contains more relevant social issues while keeping it entertaining for children - the main focus being Elastigirl, who is certainly the shining star of this film.
Hunter brings so much life to this character, as she is able to portray both the nurturing mother side and the ass-kicking heroine side excellently. Elastigirl's arc provides a great, original premise that is still reminiscent of the first movie yet is geared towards a new, more critical generation of moviegoers. This makes for a great dynamic between Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible, as the latter is constantly being forced to deal with his own masculinity. Having to take care of the kids while his wife is away saving the city was obviously tough for the macho man, but his development and acceptance throughout the course of this movie was progressively pleasant to watch.
Another character with interesting development was baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile). We were left on a bit of a cliffhanger from the original Incredibles movie that Jack-Jack had an abundance of peculiar powers, and in this film, those powers are explored even more. Along with the monster that he can turn into, shooting lasers from his eyes, and setting himself on fire, seeing Jack-Jack's naive infancy clash with his crazy abilities made him a hilarious scene-stealer.
The humble daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell) and the reckless son Dash (Huck Milner) unfortunately have less memorable roles in the film, but it's worth noting that the re-casting of Dash (originally voiced by Spencer Fox) was a smart move, though, as Milner has a much more child-like sense of wonder and confidence in his voice. Other fan-favorite characters making a return in the sequel include Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) and Edna Mode (Brad Bird) and they still live up to their previous, legendary reputations.
For an animated feature, editing is never much of a specialty, but this film shatters that expectation. Some of the most comedic moments in the film were made so hilarious due to Stephen Schaffer's quick, efficient editing, which helps add to the overall excitement of the film as well. Brad Bird's (who also directed the film) script is excellent too, as the twisting reveal of the antagonist was hidden quite well. However, Screenslaver did not get as much physical screen time as the character deserved and, throughout the entirety of the film, the villain had a digitally eerie presence that could have been much more fleshed out, but there was still plenty of substance to make the character threatening.
One of the most memorable parts of the first film was its jazzy and high-energy score, which Michael Giacchino once again delivers in this second installment. The best new element of this sequel, though, was its more fluent choreography and action scenes. All of them involved Elastigirl (rightfully so), as her scenes were just purely exhilarating fun. As for the animation, it's just like any other Pixar movie we've seen in recent years: gorgeous.
Incredibles 2 succeeds expectations in almost every possible way, as Disney and Pixar once again prove that they can make a better superhero film than, well, many other studios out there from the past ten years. While sequels that come this late are usually hit or miss, this fantastic family film doesn't just hit but smashes. Oh, and for all of the '90s babies out there: get ready for the nostalgia to really kick in the moment the movie starts.
My Rating: ★★★★½
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