Watching Incredibles 2 a couple of weeks ago helped me realize that were slowly starting to leave the age of bad sequels. Sure, you’ll probably end up with a few film sequels that nobody asked for, but in general, (especially with Disney’s latest products) sequels are great. If you had told the 6-year-old me that there would be an Incredibles 2, I would be very excited. If you had said to me that it wouldn’t be until 14 years later, I probably would have cried. Incredibles 2 not only exceeded my expectations, but it was well worth the wait. In fact, it fulfilled this empty void in all of my childhood memories. Like some sort of Incredibles curse was finally lifted after hundreds and hundreds of years. Let me elaborate.
The Parr family return precisely where they left off 14 years ago, face to face with the Underminer. While the Parr family themselves haven’t grown in age, the animation certainly has. Seeing the Incredibles and Frozone in a new coat of paint was a treat. The vibrant, neon-esque red’s popping on what was primarily a dark brown canvas that made up the city skylines, left me in awe. Violet and Jack-Jack show some flair with their powers that I really enjoyed. The glow from Violet’s force fields or the roulette of superpowers that Jack-Jack had access to make for some great moments on screen that literally made my jaw drop. Speaking of which, Elastigirl stepped up as well in that same aspect. Throughout the film, she used her powers in some ways that I didn’t think she was capable of. I was really impressed with how Violet and Elastigirl expanded their superpowers, especially.
Brad Bird, the director of the film, is aware that most of the audience from the first Incredibles film has grown over the years. You can tell. Incredibles 2 isn’t treated like a kid’s film. However, it felt more like an art-style for anyone to enjoy. The conflicts in this film are very adult. The plot of this film isn’t centered around something juvenile like Dash acting up in class, or Violet’s new boyfriend. Instead, the plot focused on Helen and Bob Parr who are struggling to figure out what’s best for their family, as parents. The story takes us to a point where the Incredibles are vulnerable. Their house blew up ( thanks a lot, Syndrome ), they’re staying in a beat up hotel that they don’t have a lot of time in, Helen and Bob are met with decisions that could either dig a deeper hole for them or allow them to manage until they can get back on their feet. Seeing a shared and fearful uncertainty between the two as they struggled to come to a decision felt very real, and suddenly it wasn’t kid’s film, it was a film especially for the people who grew up these past 14 years like myself.
The gender role switch between Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl was interesting and helped portray the sacrifice that Bob had to go through to make his family happy. Seeing Bob slowly evolve into a great stay-at-home dad was heartwarming to see, and I liked watching his journey along the way, with Dash and Violet becoming a better son or daughter.
This movie is so good, man. I really want to see it again, and I will. I thought that I would be able to make it through this post without describing anything as “incredible,” but, this movie is Incredible. With a capital ‘I.’ If you’re a fan of the Incredibles, you’ll see all of the growth that’s portrayed throughout the film. The movie runs for 2 hours but never slows down. And of course, it’s an excellent viewing option for you and your family. Incredibles 2 is out now, and you don’t need to bring a kid. If you just want to go see it yourself, go right ahead, nobody is judging you.
“Honey! Where’s my super suit?”
JJ King
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