One of the many strengths of Pixar has in their holster has been their ability to mix their filmography with original ideas and furthering those ideas into franchises. For the longest time Toy Story was the exception, getting a sequel early on in the shelf life of that property, but as films like Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and Cars tore up the screens, they too had their universes expanded. Iโm still waiting for Ratatouille to be revisited to this day โ Remy and Linguini deserve it. One of those prominent early Pixar films that dazzled and stunned all who watched its greatness but never got its second act, its chance to continue telling its story is The Incredibles.
14 years later โ better late than never.
Pixarโs first family, the Parrโs resembles and is often compared to Marvel Comicโs โFantastic Fourโ, boasting a similar complex family dynamic. And for as many films that Marvel adapted their first family on the big screen but couldnโt quite capture the dynamic needed to tell the story, writer-director Brad Bird easily did it in one film. Fast forward 14 years and Bird is at it again with The Incredibles 2. Picking up where the first film left off in a cliffhanger-esque type of ending, seeing the Parr family suit up once more is a welcomed sight to behold.
If you recall, the first Incredibles ended with Dash (Huck Milner) finally allowed to compete in sports, but not to overdo it. After his race in which he easily took first place, the villainous Underminer (John Ratzenberger) made his debut. Bob aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), Helen aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) and Violet (Sarah Vowell) make a valiant effort in stopping the Underminer however, the villain was able to steal the money and get away, leaving the Parr family with help from Frozone (Samuel L Jackson) to minimize the damage done to the city.
From there The Incredibles 2 written and directed by Bird changes things up when the Parr family is recruited by longtime superhero fan Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener) to change the perception superheroes have on society. Elastigirl becomes the hot commodity, becoming the superhero to end the prejudicial ban on superheroes while Bob takes on the responsibility of caring for Dash, Violet and Jack-Jack. With this swapping and subsequent shattering of gender norms that Bird explores, comes the heart and soul of his film โ the family, their growth and relationships with one another.
In the same vein that parents document every single one of their childโs milestones, the Parr family is the same way. One of the sub-plots Bird writes into the overall story deals with Jack-Jackโs powers beginning to appear. Helen is given the great line of โI missed his first powersโ which speaks to the unique relationship being a family with superpowers brings. Bob being the stay at home parent this time around gets to experience Violetโs teenage angst as a result of the boy she liked literally forgetting who she is and even going so far to attempt to help her get his attention and help Dash with his math homework. โMath is math, why would they change itโ.
An extension of Bobโs failed attempt at being the stay at home parent comes when Helen calls after a good first day on the job. Bob recaps the dayโs events with a passed out Dash sleeping on his homework while Violet has turned invisible to get a tub of ice cream (her clothes giving her away). Bird makes the family the strongest element to latch on to while everything else including the villain falls by the wayside. Leaving the first film the way it did with the Underminerโs arrival promising to be the foil in this chapter and heโs only in the first few minutes never to be seen or heard of again derails the momentum built up for 14 years.
Going back to the comparison to the Fantastic Four, one of their earlier villains from the first volume of their comics was the Mole Man. Itโs no coincidence the two teams mirror one another in both dynamic, portrayal to society and among other superpowered individuals, relationships and even the villains โ The Incredibles is the version of the Fantastic Four weโve been hoping for.
With every Pixar film released I make it a point to address the animation and how far itโs come since the previous film. Not much has changed from 2017โs Coco. Compared to 2004โs original The Incredibles, Pixar has improved leaps and bounds to make their first family look as sleek and stylish as the technology will allow. The character designs have been given a hefty upgrade but the environmental surrounding steals the show. From the retro aesthetic to the water to the multitude of textures and the light sources in how they bounce off objects, Pixar and the team of artists has outdone themselves once again.
Now that the sequel finally has come, the question of will there be a third installment added to complete the trilogy and how long will it take Disney to greenlight will be in the back of everyoneโs mind. Hopefully a lot sooner than 14 years. The Parr family deserves that much at least. A weak written villain aside, The Incredibles 2 reminds us all what made the first one special in the first place, It isnโt the powers, the stunning animation or the lore that comes with it. Itโs the characters and how they adapt to a world that donโt believe superheroes are necessary โ doing what they can for the greater good because itโs the right thing to do. All while discovering trust for one another, and the giving the support needed when comfort zones are stepped out of.
Screenplay By: Brad Bird
Directed By: Brad Bird
Music By: Michael Giacchino
Cinematography: Mahyar Abousaeedi (camera) & Erik Smitt (lighting)
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huckleberry Milner, Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Brad Bird, Jonathan Banks
Where to Watch: Disney Plus
Edited By: Stephen Schaffer
Release Date: June 15, 2018
Running Time: 1 Hour 58 Minutes
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