It’s nearly a foregone conclusion that with Pixar, you really can’t go wrong. With only a couple-ish misses (Cars 2 and 3; maybe Monsters University), it’s safe to say Pixar will entertain.
Incredibles 2 is no exception. And this sequel to The Incredibles – perhaps my favorite of the Pixar films – is chock full of everything that made the first one so fun. It’s got great action, it’s really funny, and this has an added emphasis on the strength of female characters.
Basically starting where the first Incredibles left off, Helen Parr gets a new gig as Elastigirl fighting bad guys while husband Bob Parr, Mr. Incredible, has to stay home and take care of the kids.
All the usual suspects are back, Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter as Elastigirl, Sarah Vowell as Violet, Huck Milner as Dash, and Eli Fucile as baby Jack-Jack. Also Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone and Brad Bird doing the voice of superhero costume designer, Edna Mode.
Brad Bird also wrote and directed Incredibles 2, and did a fine job of it, too. It’s got all the action and humor of the first, for sure.
The added entertainment value of watching Mr. Incredible trying to help Dash with his homework and struggle with Violet’s boyfriend drama is not terribly original, narratively speaking, but it’s handled with aplomb in this context. And the cherry on top is indeed the emergence of baby Jack-Jack’s powers, which, of course, is a surprise to no one but Mr. Incredible and eventually the rest of the family, to hilarious results.
The film is intent on proving that a raccoon is a formidable opponent. Perhaps even more so than a genius supervillain with a diabolical plot.
I definitely had tons of fun with Incredibles 2, and anyone that enjoyed the first will surely enjoy it, too, even though it’s been a whole 14 years since the original.
Easily four kittenhands from me. It was loads of fun.
~ Neil T Weakley, your average movie-goer, definitely recommend this over Jurassic World: Lost Kingdom. Definitely. And be wary of raccoons.
