Don't fire the baby...

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2018)

Bob Parr, retired Superhero Mr. Incredible now Mr. Mom, voiced by Craig T. Nelson, discovers that his infant son Jack-Jack, goo goo-ed by Eli Fucile, shoots deadly green lasers from his eyes. He cautions his older daughter Violet, voiced by Sarah Vowell, and her younger brother Dash, voiced by Huck Milner, while playing with their brother, "Don't fire the baby!" Now, you won't hear that in movies. I'll even go out on a limb here.
That's the signature humor and inventiveness of Writer and Director Brad Bird's "Incredibles 2". "Incredibles 2" is really incredible, too. "2" is the sequel 14 years in the making. The technological advance in state-of-the art animation since astounds. In the visual high speed chase Helen's Elastic Girl, voiced with down home charm and common sense by Holly Hunter, swerves her motorcycle as she rescues the out-of-control monorail train. In the stunning night skyline Elastic Girl hops between helicopters with her rubber-like arms to save the Ambassador.
Still with Bird flexing his formidable CGI might, he touches when Bob confesses to daughter Violet, "I just want to be a good Dad." Nelson is humorous and vulnerable as the Dad. Bob was responsible for her possible boyfriend Tony's imposed memory loss to guard the family's identity. Violet is devastated when Tony forgets their movie date. Yeah, Dad and Mom using their super strength and elastic powers stopped the villainous Underminer, comical John Ratzenberger, and his hulking drilling machine. Bob messed up big time where it also counted, with family. Family and heart ultimately save the day in "Incredibles 2".
"Incredibles 2" is hysterical in its cool self-awareness and irreverence. "2" has the hip retro 60's vibe in its art deco design and music score by Michael Giacchino. You get the feel of a James Bond or "In Like Flint" movie. Well, just shows my age.
"Supers" or Superheroes are still outlawed in the world of "Incredibles 2". The movie literally opens where we left off 14 years ago as the Incredibles battle the Underminer determined to destroy the City. Emerging victorious the Family is forced back into seclusion.
Brother and sister Winston and Evelyn of high-technology Dev Tech, voiced by slick Bob Odenkirk and sublime Catherine Keener, offer the Parr's their proposal. Winston and Evelyn seek to overturn the ban on Supers. Their late Father was the Supers greatest advocate. Both parents were tragically murdered when Supers were unable to save them from a home robbery.
Marketing expert Winston wants to leverage Elastic Girl in the TV PR campaign to overturn the law. It's kind of like Reality TV for the good cause. Well, kind of. Swallowing his ego, because they opted out Mr. Incredible, Bob agrees that Helen should be the Star. Near half-way through the movie you get the telegraph that all is not what it seems. Perhaps, that's the only downside of Writer Bird's incredible narrative.
Director Bird does provide the brilliant upside in the return of diminutive Supers costume designer extraordinaire Edna Mode or E. E graciously babysits and costumes Jack-Jack leashing and tracking some of his emergent powers. Bird is genuinely hysterical voicing E. And "Incredibles 2" is absolutely hysterical with endearing sweetness.
At times action movie overload occurs, particularly near the end. The amazing CGI tends to overwhelm a bit. Yet, when Helen tells her children how proud she is of them that resonates home. Because when it comes down to it: Love makes you Super. I just hope Bird, Disney and Pixar don't wait another 14 years to tell another "Incredibles" story about love and family.