INCREDIBLES 2

“When done properly, parenting can be a heroic act. Done properly.”

Much like the wait between the original Incredibles film and this one, it’s been quite a while since I wrote a review. Not fourteen years long, but a fair while, so bear with me.

The first Incredibles movie is in my mind still one of Pixar’s best and I can’t count how many times I’ve watched it over the years. It’s just one of those movies that will always be good, and it will always cheer you up on a rainy day. And, of course, it ends with the cliff-hanger of the Underminer.

And so people thought the next movie must be right around the corner, right?

14 years later, and we finally have Incredibles 2, and while it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, it’s pretty damn good.

One thing I really liked about the movie is that it avoids the thing that most sequels do, in that it doesn’t just re-create the first film with minor changes. While it does essentially swap the roles of Mr and Mrs Incredible, (to greatness on the film’s part) the story happening outside this change is not the same as the first film. In fact, Incredibles 2 spends a great deal of its time showing us the world these characters live in and the problems that superheroes face. And while this does mean the film takes a while to get going again after its opening set-piece, there’s pay off at the end, so at least those slower minutes were not wasted.

Essentially, the plot goes that having witnessed the Incredibles fight of the Underminer, a wealthy business decides it’s time to bring superheroes back into the limelight and out of the shadows they were placed in during the prologue of the first movie. He enlists Elastigirl to help usher in this new renaissance of the supers while Mr Incredible is left at home to look after Violet and Dash, and more concerningly, Jack-Jack, and his array of new powers that are by far the best and funniest part of the film.

It’s a simple plot at its core, as most films should be, and it’s a fun ride to see these characters on. The swapped roles of the parents bring a lot of funny scenes and it's good to see them both very differently than the first film portrayed them.

Seeing Elastigirl thrive while Bob slowly breaks down looking after Jack-Jack is what makes this film as good as it is. The pacing is very different on both sides, but it works very well. And, as stated, Jack-Jack steals the show every time he’s on screen, and we get a very in-depth look (and analysis, thanks to the brilliant Edna Mode) at his vast array of abilities.

This scene, in particular, was an absolute delight to watch.

I will say this this against the film however…It’s villain, especially when compared to Syndrome from the first film, is nothing that special.

While the Screenslaver has a cool name and look, it doesn’t amount to a great deal and there’s not a huge amount of reasoning behind the motivation of the character. It’s understandable, but it doesn’t hit you like Syndrome’s did. With such a good-looking villain, I was hoping for a little more than was delivered, but the character does well enough for the role given to them.

All in all, Incredibles 2 is a fine sequel to the first film, even if it did take forever to get here. The animation looks spectacular and in one scene you can even spot the frayed fibres on Bob’s shirt, which just goes to show the attention to detail that went into it. The story is different enough from the first film that it feels original, but not too different that it feels alien from the characters and world we know and love. Michael Giacchino delivers another fantastic soundtrack and it’s good to hear the theme tune back on the big screen. While the show is stolen by Jack-Jack and Edna, the rest of the characters are just as good as ever, besides from perhaps the villain, who could have done with more of the spotlight, or maybe it could’ve just been the Underminer instead, given the hype that's built up over the years. Like films should, Incredibles 2 is fun enough that it will let you forget about the world around you, but has a relevant issue at its core that makes you think for a moment or two.