Writer/director Brad Bird and stars Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson and Samuel L. Jackson are well-aware it’s been 14 years since the “The Incredibles,” as they address this wait before screenings of “Incredibles 2.” It is a long time – long enough for Holly Hunter (Helen Parr/Elastigirl) to turn 60, the same age Craig T. Nelson (Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible) was when they made the original in 2004.
But now “Incredibles 2” is finally here and it’s a great nostalgia trip after all these years. I smiled so much during the opening scene because it’s so entertaining, and I thought it was worth the price of admission alone.
After that, it’s still very entertaining. Politicians of Metroville still want superheroes to stay hidden and not intervene. Not everyone wants supers to be hidden – as the CEO of a telecommunications company, Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener) have come up with a way to get supers back in the good graces of Metroville.
They want to use Elastigirl to show the government supers can save the day without a lot of structural damage. That’s the main reason they pick her over Bob (Craig T. Nelson) – because he causes the city so much money. “Big problems need big solutions,” Bob explains. This time, Helen’s out on secret missions and Bob’s the stay-at-home dad.
It’s so cool watching Elastigirl fight crime for the bulk of the film this time, as her powers of stretching all over the place are visually more interesting than Bob just using his strength on everything. Plus, Holly Hunter is generally amazing so more screen time for her is welcome. The rest of the voice cast is also really great.
The main plot is Helen foiling the plans of a mysterious figure called the Screenslaver, which is entertaining and has a lot of well-animated, dazzling action scenes. Some twists are predictable, but the story’s well-written and the pure entertainment of the third act more than makes up for it.
I generally loved the plot so much because it’s so cool going back to these characters, and the Parr’s family dynamic still feels fresh after 14 years. The parents do switch roles this time. Bob deals with the jealousy of Helen fighting crime and him being pushed into the shadows of parenting, and it’s handled with humour.
He often seems more like Bob in this film than Mr. Incredible, but he shines whenever he’s in his super suit. Speaking of super suits, Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) also has enough chances to shine. Other supporting character and fan favourite Edna E. Mode (Brad Bird) also has a great appearance.
Bob helping Dash with homework and him screwing up trying to help Violet (Sarah Vowell) with boy problems will be relatable for dads. The biggest laughs come from the scene-stealing Jack Jack, who’s unable to control his newfound powers. That’s a huge thing Bob has to deal with. Anyone who’s seen the “Jack Jack Attack” short film will definitely love this sub-plot. He’s one of the most entertaining aspects of the film and Brad Bird seems like he’s having a blast writing this comedy into the film.
Besides the great old characters, we get to know a few new heroes – notably Sophia Bush as Voyd – and they’re fun side characters that Bird is able to explore. Bird also brings up insights into the politics of these supers occasionally, like he did in the original, but the film often goes back to Jack Jack’s cuteness. It’s fine because the kid’s so fun. The film’s storyline flows nearly as well as the original and the dialogue’s still sharp and the humour’s great. Michael Giacchino’s score helps a lot with the film’s nostalgic feeling, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
– by Daniel Prinn
