Movie Review: Incredibles 2

I stated this in my review to its predecessor and I’m gonna paraphrase it again. It has been a very long time since we’ve seen Pixar’s superhero family on-screen; there is a segment in the beginning featuring the actors and Brad Bird stating it and thanking the viewers for their patience. Was it worth the wait: 100 percent yes. This is still in theaters so I’m going to be as careful as I can be, but just in case, a spoiler alert is being issued. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Taking place immediately after the first film Mr. Incredible aka Bob Par (Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl aka Helen Par (Holly Hunter) and their children: Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner replacing Spencer Fox) and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) confront the Underminer (John Ratzenberger) but fail to stop him. Because of the damage their caused their friend from the super relocation program Rick Decker (Jonathan Banks taking over from Bud Lukey after he passed away) tells the Pars the program is being shut down for good. That same day Bob, Helen and their long-time friend Lucius Best aka Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) are contacted by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), the head of a telecommunications company called DEVTECH. Winston, along with his genius inventor sister Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener), wants to make supers legal again; but they want Elastigirl to be the face. Winston provides the Par family with a house while Helen goes out stopping bad guys. Bob watches the kids, but is clearly upset that he is not out in the field; however he wants Helen to succeed for the kids (and his) super future. Bob soon has to cope with a few things: helping Violet capture her crush’s attention, Dash with math and (easily the best part of the movie) Jack-Jack’s new powers; yes plural as in more than one. Bob does get help from Lucius and longtime friend/costume designer Edna Mode (Brad Bird). Meanwhile Helen, along with a gaggle of supers including her biggest fan Void (Sophia Bush), have to fight a villain calling themselves the Screenslaver who hypnotizes anyone looking at a monitor. As far as I can go without spoiling the rest of the movie, but before I go into my review there is there is something I have to say. As you may have read the movie does have multiple flashing sequences which may cause someone with epilepsy to have a seizure so please be careful.

While I admit the sequel is not as good as the first film I believe it lived up to the hype. Having most of the cast back, in addition to the new characters, was amazing. The Par family is still as relatable as ever, even with the addition of powers. Bob is clearly struggling with staying on the side, but knows what he has to do to help Helen which makes him a good husband and father. Helen may have been reluctant to step back in the spotlight, but I thought she handled it well. Watching Violet and Dash become great supers is a joy, Lucius stepping up as uncle and Edna as aunt (kinda but it’s still great to see her) however I think we can agree the best part of the movie is Jack-Jack. I can honestly say sitting in the theater watching nearly everyone freak out when Jack-Jack showed a new power was hilarious; I know babies can be a struggle but imagine one that can teleport, multiply, burst into flames, laser eyes, demon baby and so much more. If you have the chance to watch Incredibles 2 in theaters go and do it, especially to get out of the heat.

Movie Review: Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles

In honor of the long, and I mean LONG, awaited sequel now out in theaters, let’s take a look back at one of Pixar’s best feature films of all time (that might just be my opinion, but if you agree awesome.) Released in 2004 this Academy Award winning animated feature took audiences on a ride with a family dealing with their problems, oh yeah and they are superheroes. If you haven’t seen The Incredibles here is a massive spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

After years of damage caused by superheroes, or supers, finally cause the public to turn against them, the government issues a relocation program for supers to fully accept their secret identities. Two married supers, Bob Parr aka the super strong Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Helen Parr aka the flexible Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) seem to have adjusted well to a normal life with their three children: the shy and invisible Violet (Sarah Vowell), the super-fast Dash (Spencer Fox) and the normal baby Jack-Jack. Bob does love his family, but after 15 years he longs for his glory days being a super; often going out as a vigilante with his best friend Lucius Best aka the ice powered Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson). One day Bob receives a message from a beautiful woman named Mirage (Elizabeth Peña) offering the chance to become Mr. Incredible again and provide for his family. He jumps at the chance, but eventually realizes he is a part of a bigger and more sinister plot. The person behind it, a man at one time called Buddy Pine now the smart and vengeful Syndrome (Jason Lee) who wants to rid the world of supers, either by killing or by rendering the term useless. Helen, after a visit with family friend, super costume designer and sassy Edna Mode (director Brad Bird) realizes what has happened to her husband and joins him, along with Violet and Dash in stopping Syndrome.

This is one of my family’s favorite Pixar films, which if you’ve been following this blog probably doesn’t surprise you. The action, comedy, family dynamic, writing and voice acting for The Incredibles is exactly like the film title says. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Spencer Fox and Sarah Vowell are amazing as the Parr family as their characters develop, grow and kick butt. Jason Lee is fantastic as the villain Syndrome; my opinion one of the best Pixar and Disney bad guys. My favorite characters to listen to are Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone (who doesn’t love the whole sequence with Frozone and his off-screen wife) and Brad Bird as Edna Mode (NO CAPES)! However if I have to say what my favorite thing about The Incredibles is, it might be how the film makers took traits in an everyday family and turned them into the powers. A dad, usually the patriarch, has to be the strongest member, mom has to be flexible running the house and kids, teen girls usually feel invisible and pre-teen boys are full of energy and run around. They made everyone in The Incredibles relatable in some way to the audience which helped the success of this wonderful animated film. Of course after a nearly 14 year wait Incredibles 2 has finally come to theaters, and I know my family will be in line to watch it as soon as we possibly can. If once again you have not seen The Incredibles I would put it on the must see list immediately. It is truly an incredible film (sorry, not sorry.)