I’ve been looking forward to the release of “Incredibles 2” since the Underminer first appeared on screen at the end of the original back in 2004. I was more excited about the release of this movie than I was about “Infinity War.” So you could say I went into the theater with pretty high expectations. And while the movie didn’t live up to every single thing I was hoping for, it also didn’t let me down.
When the movie ended, my first thoughts were relieved. The original “Incredibles” has long been one of my favorite movies, and I was very glad that the sequel didn’t butcher or taint the near perfection of the 2004 classic. As I reflected on the film a bit more however, I discovered there were ways in which it disappointed me.
One of the things that made the original such a hit was its retro atmosphere and nostalgia. From the art deco style of houses, cars, and even newspapers, the first film did a remarkable job of emulating the comic-book style of the golden age of superheroes. This style is something that “Incredibles 2” tries to replicate but doesn’t quite manage. The style is thrown off by several things, including the choice to introduce several new minor supers, most of which had cartoonish appearances and intentionally silly powers. The introduction of Screech, an owl-man, and Brick, a she-hulk that somehow reminded me of Wreck-It Ralph, took away from the slick, retro appearances of the other characters.
My other gripe with the film was its primary villain. Screenslaver, the super-hating master of hypnosis and technology, seemed like little more than an ideological rip-off of Syndrome with added magic mind control abilities. I found the villain’s tragic backstory to be less than compelling, and mind control via hypnosis seemed like something of a cop-out to me. Overall, I found Syndrome to be a much better bad guy than either the Underminer or Screenslaver.
Bad bits out of the way, the rest of the film was quite enjoyable. The plot was a little predictable but still engaging, the returning ensemble voice cast delivered solid performances most of the time (special shout out to writer-director Brad Bird who did a phenomenal job as Edna Mode), and I really enjoyed all the world building and callbacks that took place onscreen. Cameos by Gazerbeam and Fironic practically made me squeal in my seat, and it was great to see a bit more of the fantastical world created in the original film. Pixar’s animation was unbelievable as usual, and the absolutely stunning visuals and beautifully intricate action scenes made me very happy.
The Parr family was a joy to watch, and it was delightful to see the individual characters come into their own as they developed beyond the events of the first film. It was hilarious to see Violet struggle with her first relationship and Dash struggle with academics, and it was especially heartwarming to see Bob forgo sleep and hero work to be a better father.
Most entertaining, however, were Jack-Jack’s escapades as he adorably began to discover his many powers. From rocket sneezes to laser eyes, the super-baby’s abilities not only helped save the day, but made for some side-splittingly funny moments as well. His innocent giggle and baby smile melted me every time he was onscreen, and his interactions with the characters around him were a nonstop source of humor. This movie made me realize how criminally underused he was in the original. Jack-Jack truly is the star of the film.
Overall, “Incredibles 2” isn’t quite as perfect as the original. Its style was just a little off, the villain could’ve been better, and the story was just a tad predictable. However, the Parr family made up for all of that with their loveable and eccentric nature. The film was a pleasure to watch, and a worthy follow-up to its legendary predecessor.