An INCREDIBLE sequel...

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2018)

Like a good sequel should, Incredibles 2 continues the story with fresh ideas and dilemmas for each character. What it does better than the original is its focus on the entire Parr family and how they juggle both hero and civilian life. I adore the first Incredibles, but most of the focus was centered on Mr. Incredible and his personal crisis of reliving the glory days. In the sequel, we not only follow Elastigirl's action-packed new job, but we also explore Mr. Incredible trying to connect closer with his children who he hardly interacted with in the first film. Not only does he need to tame Jack-Jack and his chaotic new abilities, but he must also console his teenage daughter Violet as she endures boy troubles, and help his son Dash who is struggling with his schoolwork. This is new territory for Mr. Incredible and it results in some genuinely funny and touching chemistry, and I personally think its where the film soars at its highest. The movie is called The Incredibles, which suggests the movie is about all of them, therefore featuring a strong family connection is essential, and the sequel does a better job at that.
With each viewing of the original film, I found myself more and more impressed with the subtle lore that The Incredibles' universe possesses. Their world is set in a supremely anachronistic 1960s era where technology has rapidly heightened. Incredibles 2 doesn't ignore this mythology and expands it with blinding creativity. From the architecture, to the clothing, to the machinery, the film is absolutely dripping with a retro-futuristic imagery. The mythos regarding superheroes is a charming call back to the golden age of superhero comics and cartoons, with the colorful suits, flashy names, and a diverse array of abilities that opens the door for tons of fast-paced inventiveness during the action sequences. It's an engrossing and smartly-designed world, yet Brad Bird keeps the focus where it should be: On the family and their story. The imagery and lore has a casual but unique and dazzling prescience that requires more than one viewing to fully absorb.
The original film, however, does one element a lot better than the sequel, and that's the main antagonist. Screenslaver, despite a clever title, is nothing remarkable and his promise is sort of squandered. There's a twist surrounding this villain that is quite foreseeable and the pay off isn't very memorable at all. In fact, the "surprise villain" trope is getting very tired, especially in Disney. It was there in Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Zootopia, and Coco. GIVE IT A REST. On better terms, this allows the aforementioned family dynamic to shine more. The fact of the matter is: Screenslaver is no Syndrome, who was by all outward appearances a more interesting, outright adversary, and perhaps one of the Disney's greatest baddies. He was intelligent and charismatic, but also ruthlessly cruel and murderous; a loser who was motivated from years of jealousy and neglect. With that aside, I did enjoy the new characters. Bob Odenkirk of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame really captured Winston Deavor's suave and idealistic charm, and I'm happy the actor is receiving more high profile work. The new band of superheroes that Elastigirl meets, despite their minimal screentime, are likable and serve an extravagant purpose during the climax. I must praise Michael Giacchino's musical score. It's jazzy, thematic, and exploding with adrenaline. Excellent range overall, his scores never disappoint.
The animation, compared to the original film, has skyrocketed in quality. The character designs are more brisk and expressive, similar to Brad Bird's traditionally-animated masterpiece The Iron Giant, where many characters displayed a wide range of evocative reactions. There is one scene where Jack-Jack battles a raccoon, and the critter's movements are brilliantly animated. Snappy and comedic, yet not ignoring its natural, reactive behavior. The entire scene reminded me of a Chuck Jones cartoon, it was very slapstick but didn't feel out of place. Additionally, there's a scene where Violet encounters his crush Tony Rydinger at a restaurant and she sprays water out of her nose in surprise. Kinda gross in theory, but the exaggerated, cartoony expression on her face as it happened really sold the moment as pure comedy. It came out of nowhere and I was laughing hard, probably harder than I ever have in my history of seeing movies in the theater. I also appreciate how Tony Rydinger looks more boyish than he did in the original, almost resembling Hogarth Hughes from The Iron Giant. His look in the first film didn't seem right, he more resembled a man in his early 20s. Major props to the improved animation. It not only supported the action, but the humor as well.
To conclude, Incredibles 2 is a mighty fine sequel. The family has a strong and amusing chemistry, and the action is fast-paced and stylish. It shows Brad Bird still carries a gift for telling effectively character-driven stories without sacrificing thrills. The only thing hampering the film down is its weak and predictable villain. It was great seeing these characters on the big screen again after 14 years. Suit up and prepare for an excellent blast to the past.