Incredibles 2 is a fun, visually pleasing film and a sequel well worth the wait. Despite its light-hearted nature, it effectively deals with important, mature themes while being entertaining enough for children to enjoy.

Overview

Incredibles 2, directed by Brad Bird, released 5 June 2018 is an adventurous, action-packed sequel to 2004’s The Incredibles. The first film focused on ex-super heroes Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) and Helen Parr’s (Holly Hunter) struggle with working ordinary jobs, and their children’s – Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner), and Jack-Jack – struggles with their own identity in a world that has made superheroes illegal. Incredibles 2 opens seconds after the first one finished and commences with an epic battle sequence between The Incredibles and mole-like villain Underminder, who intends to steal a whole bank. The battle fizzles and The Incredibles are taken to a police station for questioning about their illegal activities, wherein they are informed that a government program that helps hide the identities of ex-superheroes has been shut down. Helen and Bob are left unemployed with only two weeks to find new jobs and a home for their family. This issue is soon resolved when billionaire siblings Winston (Bob Odenkirk) and Evelyn Deavor Catherine Keener) offer the Parrs a solution – employment and housing so long as they contribute to a campaign to legalise superheroes.

Characters

Overall, characters are generally well-written and garner the audience’s investment. Bird takes the characters that viewers already know and love and gives them a few more struggles to deal with along the way. Interestingly, the Parrs show less emotion than in the first movie. Where there are emotional struggles, they are often soon and easily resolved by the other characters. For instance, a sleep deprived, zombie-like Mr. Parr struggles with raising his children while his wife is away; however, this is soon resolved as the sassy Edna Mode babysits Jack-Jack for a night. Edna Mode is as hilarious as ever, and her light-hearted scenes with Jack-Jack leave viewers laughing hilariously. One downfall; however, is the film’s weak antagonist. Their motives and backstory are predictable, and this character is revealed in an expectable plot twist. Similarly, several extra side heroes were introduced to viewers. Some of these characters looked like they were borrowed out of a video game like Clash Of Clans and don’t offer much to the plot. Despite their multiple appearances, only one of these side heroes shows viewers some personality. Notwithstanding the poorly executed villain Screensaver and a team of side heroes, Incredibles 2’s characters are all enjoyable. Their dialogue, for instance, feels natural and at times deals with complex political issues that demands attention from viewers. Watchers even get treated to some more solid Frozone action, and a subtle acknowledgment of the hilarity of the super suit scene from the first film.

Other side heroes. Seriously, what are these things?! Source: /static1.squarespace.com

Plot

There are several sidelines within the film, particularly around Jack-Jack and the other Parr children. While these are often entertaining, not every subplot was truly fulfilled by the end of the film. For instance, Jack-Jack’s unpredictable powers are a major focus, albeit distraction, at the beginning of the film but cease to be relevant at the end of the film. Although Bird delivers each of these subplots well and attempts to tie them all together well, it felt like there was too much going on throughout the film. Perhaps fewer subplots could’ve allowed for the film’s underlying themes like race acceptance and gender equality to shine brighter.

Animations & Soundtrack

What do you do with the sequel to a film with animations far beyond its time? The same thing, of course - just better. It’s the same The Incredibles visuals that viewers are familiar with, just with an unparalleled attention to detail. One example is the dynamic lighting that flows effortlessly during the film’s action scenes, or each of Mrs. Parr’s individual strands of hair. Furthermore, Bird knows what he is doing with animated action scenes. Much like in Ratatouille or The Iron Giant, each camera angle, and action scene simply makes sense. When viewers are delighted with another action sequence, they’re likely to forget about the blurred subplots and awkward mix of gargoyle side characters. Finally, the sound track serves the movie well without being distracting. It’s the recognizable James Bond or Batman-like soundtrack with just enough originality to remind you that you’re watching The Incredibles.

Verdict

Director Brad Bird has described Incredibles 2 (2018) as a ‘popcorn movie’. The beautiful visuals, important themes, and enthralling action sequences would make it so much more than this if it wasn’t for the side plot inconsistencies and underwhelming, cliché villain. Incredibles 2 is a great film that entertains children with enough complexities and important underlying themes to keep adults engaged. While this film still lives in the shadow of The Incredibles, it is a solid sequel well worth the fourteen-year wait.

Incredibles (2018) - B+

Check out some of my other reviews:

Solo: A Star Wars Story:
https://steemit.com/news/@jordan.white306/solo-a-star-wars-story-2018-spoiler-free-review

Hereditary:
https://steemit.com/news/@jordan.white306/hereditary-2018-spoiler-free-review

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Yours,
jordan