Incredibles 2



Its taken Pixar 14 years to realise that only one of their classic films, outside of Toy Story, actually needed a sequel. To call Pixar's previous sequel efforts (again outside of Toy Story) a bit sub-par is not entirely accurate but they do often struggle to prove their need to exist. Incredibles 2, however, more than justifies this. Picking up directly after the 2004 masterpiece, Incredibles 2 pulls no punches in pulling the viewer back into the zippy and lively world of the secretly super-powered Parr family. The film is altogether a visual treat, with returning director Brad Bird pushing the animated form to its limit.

Picking up soon after the original, the Parrs find themselves in a similar position to the last film; vilified for their powers. Despite stopping the villainous Underminer, as teased at the end of the last film, this still isn't enough for the heroes to be accepted in the wider public eye. That is until rich sibling / business partners Winston (Bob Odenkirk) and Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener) offer an opportunity to make supers legal once again. To do this, they must prove to the public that supers can be trusted again and their chosen candidate to do this is Helen (Holly Hunter). Spending an increased time away from the family on missions and publicity stunts to regain public trust, it falls to Bob (Craig T. Nelson) to hold the unit together with Violet (Sarah Vowell) hitting puberty hard, Dash (Huck Milner) struggling in school and the emergence of the mega-powers of baby Jack-Jack. To make matters worse, the villainous Screenslaver appears and threatens to undermine the work that Helen and co have been doing.

Incredibles 2 reunites the Parr family for a high energy sequel that works past the more standard elements of the plot



I think the film's greatest disservice was its trailers. It painted the look of a fairly run-of-the-mill sequel (now it's Helen who is spending time away from the family!) and emphasising the Bob-can't-look-after-his-kids plotline. Fortunately, the film manages to work past the slightly more standard elements of the plot into something that not only expands upon the world but remains faithful to the spirit of the original. It doesn't redefine the paradigm in the same way that, say, Toy Story's sequels did but it's just fun spending more time with the cast in a story that does a great service to them. I enjoyed the more nuanced takes on the characters, especially Violet who really comes into her own in this one, and all the actors continue to be an absolute delight (especially Holly Hunter). The dual storylines work to a degree but I do wish a bit more time was spent with the family together. This is a minor gripe because both plotlines work on their own separate levels; the mystery and intrigue of Helen investigating Screenslaver works well when intercutting with the more comedic Bob storyline.

The jump in technology is quite apparent, especially if you have viewed the original film recently in preparation for the sequel. As just some examples that spring to mind, the higher fidelity on Bob's wrinkles, the hair physics on Violet and the greatly improved cityscapes all add to an almost visual representation of the development of Pixar since 2004. Add into this the art deco design work, the jazzy soundtrack of returning composer Michael Giacchino and the bold direction of Bird and you have genuinely one of the most visually arresting action films in years. Every set-piece lands perfectly and offers chances for the heroes' power to be the stars of the scenes (something Marvel films often forget to do). Just when I thought I had seen enough "chase after the train" action sequences, Incredibles 2 somehow makes the whole concept exciting again.

While the plot is slightly less than super-powered, and I do wish more time was spent with the family together, Incredibles 2 is a fun and incredibly nostalgic ride that tows the line between fan-service moments for grown-up fans and enough visual flair, drama and comedy for pretty much the rest of the audience. I would say it doesn't quite have a patch on the original but it's certainly a valiant effort that made me smile and laugh a hell of a lot.



I normally would say it's time to close the book and I'm not a massive supporter of the Pixar sequels in general. After all, this was a studio that built itself on the foundation of creativity and offering the audience something new with each film. If they have to exist however I would rather have Incredibles sequels, as the format suits a series and as long as they find interesting ways to keep the stories interesting, of course.