Mark Reviews Movies: INCREDIBLES 2

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Review by Mark Dujsik | June 14, 2018

When it was released in 2004, Brad Bird's The Incredibles arrived in a cinematic landscape that had yet to be inundated with tales of superheroes—origin stories, cross-over franchises, brand-based universes. It felt unique, and indeed, even 14 years later, it still feels that way.

That's because Bird wasn't telling a superhero story. He was offering a smart but sweet, satirical but sincere story about a family that just happened to be made up of super-powered humans. The action sequences were invigorating because they involved a cast of characters who felt entirely recognizable in their everyday concerns.

The landscape has changed in the 14 years between the original and this sequel, though, and Bird is clearly aware of this fact and has adapted his characters for the times. Incredibles 2 picks up the story of the Parr family immediately where the first film left it, as a supervillain with a giant drill is preparing to wreak havoc on the city. Almost at the start, the Parrs don their costumes, put on their sleek masks, and get to the work of saving the city.

If the original film was a story about a family that just happened to be superheroes, the sequel is a story about superheroes that just happen to be a family. Compared to the first film, then, it's a bit of a disappointment to see that shift in intent. Set against the current obsession with all things superhero, though, the film stands out for its inventive, wildly visceral action sequences. We've become used to seeing computer-generated stand-ins for humans doing impossible tricks and stunts in the live-action superhero movies. Leave it to a bunch of computer-generated cartoon characters to let us see what the real possibilities of the power and freedom of having special abilities are.

The Parrs' story begins with them taking down that villain, and since this is a world in which superheroes are illegal, there are consequences. Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson), aka Mr. Incredible, and Helen (voice of Holly Hunter), aka Elastigirl, may have saved the city with their kids Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voice of Huck Milner), but the government is still wary that "supers" might be likely to cause more damage than they prevent. The Parrs get a two-week stay at a motel, and after that, they will be on their own. The government program protecting the identities of superheroes is about to shut down.

The high-profile resurgence of a team of supers, though, catches the attention of mogul Winston Deavor (voice of Bob Odenkirk), a superhero advocate who sees the potential to turn the tide of public opinion. He enlists Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and their pal Lucis (voice of Samuel L. Jackson), aka Frozone, to partake in crime-stopping missions, using body cameras to show the public to show the supers' side of superhero actions. Deavor's sister Evelyn (voice of Catherine Keener) provides the team with new costumes and gadgets.

The family's stories are divided for most of the film: Elastigirl is Deavor's first choice to go on a mission, leaving Bob to parent Violet, Dash, and baby Jack-Jack (voice of Eli Fucile), whose unpredictable powers are almost as difficult for Bob as dealing with his teenage daughter's love life or his son's homework. The tone and purpose of the two plots are equally divided. Bob, who struggles with being kept out of the action, attempts to parent. His scenes are akin to a comedy of errors, as he continually messes up with basic tasks and becomes slightly better, only to find himself with a new, unexpected challenge.

Violet's date has his memory wiped after seeing her in her costume, meaning that Bob has to orchestrate a way for the two to "meet" again, and Jack-Jack's burgeoning superpowers cause chaos (There's a very funny fight between the baby and a raccoon, which Jack-Jack sees as a thief, stealing the family's precious garbage). This brings the most welcome return of designer Edna Mode (voice of Bird), who still has a no-nonsense attitude but grows into an aunt-like affection for the baby.

With the domestic life out of the way, Helen is finally given the opportunity to take the spotlight that has been blocked by her hulking husband. We get a few action sequences here, and all of them show the genuine level of freedom of movement—both of the characters and the camera—that can only come with animation. Bird stages these sequences with an exhilarating sense of flow, from the teamwork of the opening battle to a truly brilliant chase, as Elastigril tries to stop a runaway elevated train. Riding a motorcycle, the superhero leaps across rooftops, skids along the sides of buildings, and does some daringly flexible things atop the train.

Her plot involves a dastardly villain named the Screenslaver (voice of Bill Wise), who can hypnotize people by hacking monitors. Like the original, the social commentary here is alternately subversive (the villain's methods) and straightforward (a discussion between Helen and Evelyn about which is the better way for women to show power: out front or behind the scenes), although it takes a back seat to the comedy and the action.

The film's sense of family does, too. It's not because the actual family is separated (The original did the same thing for a decent portion of the film), although it feels like a missed opportunity—not seeing how these characters would have to juggle superhero work and a normal life as a unit. No, it's because Incredibles 2 obviously wants to evolve with the current zeitgeist. This family is no longer quite the team we knew from the first film, but in their updated mode, at least their super-heroics feel genuinely super.

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