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THE LIVING ROOM — Fans have been waiting 14 years for an “Incredibles” sequel, and it’s finally here. The 2004 film is beloved by many and regarded as one of the greatest Pixar movies and one of the greatest animated movies ever.
With the high praise of the first film and long wait since its release, there is a lot of pressure on “Incredibles 2” to deliver an entertaining and fun sequel filled with heart, thrills and laughs.
My guess is most of you have tickets to the film or at least plan to head out to the theater already and you’ll find out for yourself soon enough, but I’m here to tell you that “Incredibles 2” delivers.
Here is why “Incredibles 2” is a worthy continuation of the franchise and one reason it falls short of the original.
What makes it super
The characters are strong
The 2004 film made us fall in love with the Parr family, as well as Edna Mode and Frozone, and it puts a smile on your face to see them back together again.
I appreciated the fact that writer and director Brad Bird made sure the characters had grown some from the first film. But they didn’t depart from the quirks and failings from their personalities we’ve grown to love.
The voice cast is back and strong as ever making for a familiar and fun connection with these great characters.
We also get more Frozone, which is welcomed, and some interesting new characters such as Winston Deavor, voiced by Bob Odenkirk.
The vibe is cool
One of the best parts about “Incredibles” was the James Bond-type vibe in an alternate universe where it feels like the 60s but we’re in a modern era with advanced technology and superheroes.
The sequel does more of the same and almost sells the vibe and tone even harder. The Parrs end up in a new home that seems to be right out of an “Architecture of Tomorrow” magazine from 1962. The sets and design make me want to explore every inch of this world and eventually build a house that has the same gadgets and secrets.
Story arcs are compelling
I was concerned from the initial trailer that “Incredibles 2” was going to give us the exact same story as the first film but with Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl’s roles reversed. I thought a sequel 14 years in the making could come up with something better than that and thankfully they did, for the most part.
While there are elements of the main story that feel like a retread of the earlier plot, overall it feels fresh and gives some great story arcs for the characters following the events of the first film.
Jack-Jack steals the show
I won’t say much here because I don’t want to spoil anything, but Jack-Jack was likely the best part of the film and had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. This may be a movie about the Parr family, but the youngest Incredible steals the show multiple times.
What makes it a non-super (very minor spoilers)
Some plot elements are recycled
I’m not going to go into any detail, but this is in reference to the rehashed storyline I was worried about.
There is one major moment in the film that is so close to certain reveals in the first film that it took me out of the magic of the film a little bit.
To avoid spoilers I will not give away the twist, but fans of the first film will likely see it coming from a mile away and will be saying to themselves, “Please don’t be that. Please don’t be that” — only to find out it’s exactly that.
This wasn’t enough to ruin the movie, but I do think it kept it from outdoing or possibly matching its predecessor.
Conclusion
Overall I really enjoyed “Incredibles 2.” It may be one of the best sequels Pixar has done to date, and I think “Incredibles” fans will be happy with the story’s continuation and where these characters are headed.
Kids will get a kick out of the action and humor, and parents will get sucked in as well. My kids were glued to the screen and walked out of the theater running at light speed and punching the air as we made our way to the car.
“Incredibles 2” is a great sequel that manages to almost match the original.
“Incredibles 2” is rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language. The movie should be appropriate for pretty much all audiences, but I was surprised with some of the language. It’s not overly harsh, but it did surprise me somewhat to hear it in a Pixar movie.
Story arcs are compelling
I was concerned from the initial trailer that “Incredibles 2” was going to give us the exact same story as the first film but with Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl’s roles reversed. I thought a sequel 14 years in the making could come up with something better than that and thankfully they did, for the most part.
While there are elements of the main story that feel like a retread of the earlier plot, overall it feels fresh and gives some great story arcs for the characters following the events of the first film.
Jack-Jack steals the show
I won’t say much here because I don’t want to spoil anything, but Jack-Jack was likely the best part of the film and had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. This may be a movie about the Parr family, but the youngest Incredible steals the show multiple times.
What makes it a non-super (very minor spoilers)
Some plot elements are recycled
I’m not going to go into any detail, but this is in reference to the rehashed storyline I was worried about.
There is one major moment in the film that is so close to certain reveals in the first film that it took me out of the magic of the film a little bit.
To avoid spoilers I will not give away the twist, but fans of the first film will likely see it coming from a mile away and will be saying to themselves, “Please don’t be that. Please don’t be that” — only to find out it’s exactly that.
This wasn’t enough to ruin the movie, but I do think it kept it from outdoing or possibly matching its predecessor.
Conclusion
Overall I really enjoyed “Incredibles 2.” It may be one of the best sequels Pixar has done to date, and I think “Incredibles” fans will be happy with the story’s continuation and where these characters are headed.
Kids will get a kick out of the action and humor, and parents will get sucked in as well. My kids were glued to the screen and walked out of the theater running at light speed and punching the air as we made our way to the car.
“Incredibles 2” is a great sequel that manages to almost match the original.
“Incredibles 2” is rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language. The movie should be appropriate for pretty much all audiences, but I was surprised with some of the language. It’s not overly harsh, but it did surprise me somewhat to hear it in a Pixar movie.
