by Charles Kirkland Jr.
After fourteen long years, one of the most desired sequels arrives with a super-powered punch.
When The Underminer attacks the city, the Family Incredible leap into action to attempt to foil his plot. As a result, forces move into action to repeal the law that makes being a superhero illegal. Politician and businessman Winston Deavor (voiced by Bob Odenkirk) and his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener) enlist Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), the least destructive of the Incredibles, to engage in a super-publicity and promotional experience where she wears a camera and shows the world what “Supers” do. Meanwhile, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) is left to be a stay at home father to Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner) and Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile). So while Elastigirl is out fighting a new villain called The Screenslayer, Mr. Incredible is trapped trying to figure out how to handle not just an emotional teenager and today’s new math, but Jack-Jack’s multiple new powers.
Brad Bird returns as writer and director as well as the rest of the voicing crew from the original Incredibles but his best return is as the delightful Edna Mode. While she plays in only a couple scenes of the movie, the only scene that rivals hers is a scene with a raccoon and Jack-Jack. Bird writes and directs another masterpiece that captures and balances the action of being a superhero with monotony and near impossibility of raising children. The dichotomy is delicious. Bob Parr must find a way to be a super dad to allow his wife to be a superhero so that one day he might be able to be a superhero again.
Despite a slightly predictable storyline, Bird does a great job of addition in this movie. Violet still has her problems being a teenage girl especially when it comes to Tony Rydinger, the cute guy from the last movie (voiced by Brad’s son Michael Bird), Dash is just Dash and Mr. Incredible has his problems adjusting to his newest job of homemaker. But Bird adds in the discovery of Jack-Jack’s abilities, look out! Also added to the cast are a number of new superheroes including Sophia Bush as Voyd who is Elastigirl’s biggest fan.
The themes of the movie are outstanding as well. Parenthood remains the main focus as it surely takes a village to raise superhero children. It’s great to see Mr. Incredible’s growth and Elastigirl finally getting her time in the spotlight. Both of them are positive role models to not just the whole new group of up-and-coming superheroes but to the viewers as well.
Rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language, The Incredibles 2 is complicated and wonderful. Like the original, it is a movie for children but lives on a level that speaks to the parents who brought them. It’s great to welcome back the Family Incredible. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait fourteen more years to see them again.
Grade: A