An Enjoyable Reunion, But Lacks Some (Super) Secret Ingredient

Rating: 8/10 (15 June 2018)

SPOILER: Let me get this out of the way: Incredibles 2 is a very enjoyable and fun film that will entertain both young and old, and you should go see it.
Having said that, I can't help but dwell on the fact that this film somehow doesn't feel as special as the original.
Perhaps it's because when I saw the first Incredibles film, I was 11 years old, and the superhero phenomenon was just beginning to gain steam (Spider-Man 2 came out in the same year, 2004). But now, I'm 25, have seen way, way more superhero films, and Incredibles 2 just feels like one more good superhero film. It's good, but the original was special, and this doesn't feel very special anymore.
Perhaps this film has been overhyped in my mind. It's been 14 years between films, a long time to wait. They even did an intro video with Brad Bird, Craig T. Nelson, Helen Hunt, and Samuel L. Jackson, saying "We get it, 14 years is a long time, but trust us, it was worth the wait."
Was it, though?
Don't get me wrong: it was very fun to see Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, and Jack Jack together on the big screen again. Plus, we got to see what happened with the Underminer!
But, this film's marketing was heavily based on Jack Jack, and the discovery of his new powers. In that, they did a good job, and Jack Jack was pretty much the best thing in the film (in a good way). However, we say this 14 years ago in the short film "Jack-Jack Attack" with babysitter Karli, and to be honest I would much rather watch that than Incredibles 2, if given the choice.
Overall, I liked this film, from its heroes to its villain, whom you see coming a mile away but it's fun to guess just how and when our heroes will figure it out and how they'll stop said villain. Nevertheless, I think this film will be more special to those who can see these films back to back with a young eye. There's plenty for parents to enjoy here too, but for those of us who were kids when the first one was released and had to wait those 14 long years, I think we should temper our expectations and just enjoy the ride (speaking of awesome rides...)