An Incredible Film 14 Years in the Making

Fourteen years ago, The Incredibles opened in theaters. From the day it was released, it seemed to be calling out for a sequel. Brad Bird's film had not only captured the hearts of families, but it grasped their imaginations as well. The ending of the film depicts danger approaching the superhero family: Bob Parr/Mr.Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), Helen Parr/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), Violet Parr (Sarah Vowell), Dash Parr (Spencer Fox), and Jack-Jack Parr. After the Underminer (John Ratzenberger), an evil mole-like creature rises from underground, the supers place their masks on their faces and begin for a fight. The movie then zooms in and fades to black. For years, this film has called out for a sequel. Since 2004 Pixar has released three Cars films, a new Toy Story, a Monsters Inc. prequel, and a Finding Nemo sequel. Finally, in 2015 Pixar announced that The Incredibles 2 was coming. In 2018 the movie finally arrived. The film picks up exactly where the last installment left off, and then it just takes off from there.

The Incredibles 2 is an
outstanding film.
It accomplishes a nearly impossible goal of living up to fourteen years of excitement. From the moment the movie begins, you know that this is something special. Brad Bird manages to pick up exactly where he left off, and doesn't miss a single beat. Unlike some other sequels, this one seems to have a reason to exist. The story is not just a cookie cutter rehashing of the first story. Instead Bird takes the characters he created and develops them even further. The two stand out characters are Elastigirl and Jack-Jack. In the case of Elastigirl, her inventive powers make her a stand out. The way she uses her elasticity is genius, and it proves that she is a very powerful superhero. As for Jack-Jack, he demonstrates over 15 powers in the film. They include invisibility, teleportation, beast mode, turning to goo, combustion, multiplying, and many more. This makes him very versatile and much more of an asset than in the first film.
As for the rest of the family, they don't disappoint. Violet experiences some very typical pre-teen problems, but with a superhero twist. Her B story line is funny and interesting to watch unfold. Mr.Incredible really steps into the necessary role for this movie. He becomes a caring father who is able to be there for all three of his kids when they need him. Even though it is hard for him to accept that he cannot be in the limelight, he doesn't let that distract him from raising his kids. Finally, Dash is still a fun character. He has less to do in this movie than he did in the last one, but he is still a fun and energetic character who adds to the scenes he is a part of.
The story itself has a very clear message. Similarly to the first one, the family is forced to work together in order to succeed. This pushes the message that family is important and that they cannot succeed without each other. their ability to come together and use their powers in new and inventive ways is spectacular.
Perhaps the best part of the film is the animation and direction. The animation is absolutely spectacular. The levels of detail that the animators manage to achieve is jaw dropping. Ranging from Helen's hair to Bob's shirts and the action sequences. Beyond being beautifully animated, the action scenes are expertly choreographed. If you don't remind yourself that the movie is entirely animated it is easy to forget that none of what you're seeing exists.
One of the most concerning parts of the story was how the new characters would interact with the characters who were well established. Luckily, the new characters do a great job of holding their own. Winston and Evelyn Deavor make the greatest impression, particularly with the way they interact as siblings. They have a complex relationship not only with each other, but with the world around them. Another new character is Voyd, a fellow superhero. She is very interesting, but unfortunately does not have much to do in the film. This does not change the fact that her powers are visually stunning.
Overall, the Incredibles 2 is an outstanding film. It manages to exceed hopes and expectations. Now the only thing left to do is hope that we don't have to wait another 14 years to see the Parr family retrun to the silver screen.