Incredibles 2

The Incredible family is back after an incredible 14-year hiatus, something about life echoing art is probably a good thing to add here but I’m too excited!

Why writer/director Brad Bird (Tomorrowland: A World Beyond, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) waited quite so long, I’m not so sure, but usually, when you have someone who has passion for something, it’s because they want it to be right.

This time round Frozone, Samuel L. Jackson (The Hateful Eight, Kong: Skull Island), is approached by Winston Deavor, Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul (TV), The Post), a man who has inherited his father’s passion for superheroes and his father’s company, DEVtech.

Together with his IT skilled sister Evelyn, Catherine Keener (Get Out, Captain Philips), they hatch a plan to put superheroes back in the spotlight, showing the good they do, running a PR campaign to try and reverse the illegality of superheroes, and it all starts with Elastigirl, Holly Hunter (Batman v Superman, Jackie).

Whilst she’s away fighting crime, appearing on TV and trying to find the mysterious baddie Screenslaver, Bob, Craig T. Nelson (Coach (TV), Get Hard), is left at home, holding the baby. No, literally holding the baby, Jack-Jack, Eli Fucile, as he begins to discover his own super powers.

Meanwhile, Voilet, Sarah Vowell, is trying to go on a date with a boy but he’s accidentally-on-purpose had his mind wiped, whilst Dash, Huck Milner, is trying to do his homework, to which Bob can’t understand why they’ve changed maths.

We also, of course, have the awesome Edna Mode, voiced by Brad Bird himself, back, though it’s a small part once again, she’s still as awesome as ever.

Despite a nearly two-hour runtime (the longest computer-animated feature to date), Incredibles 2 zips along at a breathless pace, keeping you laughing and fighting along with the family throughout.

We also maintain the 1960’s America vibe we had from the first movie, in fact, Incredibles 2 picks up almost the minute after the first film finished, despite the 14-year hiatus.

The film is a testament to Bird’s storytelling, and directing, abilities. Even when the story slows, as Mr. Incredible becomes dog-tired from running the house, the laughs never stop, the fun never stops.

The voices, as usual and as we come to expect from a Pixar film, are absolutely perfect and the whole look and feel of the Incredibles 2 is just gorgeous.

We do meet some new heroes too with Voyd, Sophie Bush (One Tree Hill (TV), Chicago P.D. (TV)), being the one that gets the most involved, perhaps helped by her likeness to Violet.

The laughs are plenty, coming mostly from Mr. Incredible trying to get to grips with Jack-Jack and his powers, but also bumbling his way through parenthood, they way any of us do.

The film has a very interesting message/point it tries to get across; whilst superheroes are illegal, they do good, so being a superhero to change the law, whilst technically illegal, is good…right? At least, that’s what kids ask anyway.

It’s an interesting conundrum and one you can see is pertinent to today’s world: do you hide who you are because the powers that be say it’s wrong, despite it actually not doing anyone any harm at all?

There are a couple of quirks to the film; like why the kids don’t take the goggles off the other superheroes when they learn that’s how they’re being controlled, and it’s a little obvious who’s behind it all. Can you do bad to, ultimately, do good?

Overall the Incredibles 2 is an absolutely fabulous film and we welcome it back with super-elastic wide arms. Please don’t make us wait another 14-years!