Movie Review: Incredibles 2

It's been fourteen years and the Parr family is back on the big screen for a more incredible adventure as they battle unknown forces while trying to fight for Supers to be legal again, all the while dealing with everyday family struggles and personal conflict. 

Writer and director Brad Bird ingeniously starts the story where it left off in the previous movie, the sudden appearance of the Underminer as the family is leaving Dash's track and field event. The family put on their masks ready to fight (this is where the first movie ends) and the second one picks right up on.  

The family take on the Underminer as he tries to rob the Metroville bank unfortunately not everything works out and the Underminer escapes, leaving an incredible amount of damage in his wake, something which the Incredibles are strangely left to answer for and this just supers even more unpopular with the public. 

With the "Super Relocation" program being shut down, the Parrs are left with an uncertain future and as the family is hiding in a motel and eating Chinese take out for dinner; an opportunity knocks in the form of brother and sister Winston (Bob Odenkirk) and Evelyn (Catherine Keener) Deavor, who own the tech company DEVTECH who make an offer Bob and Helen can't refuse. 

The Deavor siblings, together with their technology and fortune want to improve the image of the supers to the public, hoping eventually to have them be made legal again, however, there is a catch, they only want Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) as she leaves less damage when saving the day. This means that Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) will take on Mom duties and be a stay-at-home parent to their three children. 

There is a lot to be said about the role reversal, Bob is left at home while his wife saves the day and while he tries to "okay with it" - much to some laughs at his expense. We all know he has been yearning to go out "like the good old days" to battle villains and save the day. 

Bob has to sit back and watch his wife get to live out his dream while he struggles to make sure that their children are fed, protected, stay in school, learn math and deal with "boy problems", yes its all comedy as you watch big, muscled Mr. Incredible stumble at learning "new math" and as he deals with "adolescence" but it is when Bob realizes that obsessing about being a superhero again is not what is important but being a good dad, does the audience feel that they were sucker punched into an emotional moment.     

Even if it is technically a superhero movie and there have been a lot of those in the fourteen past years, 'Incredibles 2' does not imitate any of these but instead sticks to its strong suits and stays true to what made it so lovable in the first place, and that is being a family. It seems that being a super family only comes in second and in some ways this is why the movie works. 

Watching the film in the movie theater is a treat because in the fourteen years that have passed, the animation has improved in leaps and bounds with every texture so different and every detail just comes to life on the big screen. Although there are some scenes that use use bright flashing lights and in a dark cinema may cause dizziness or even seizures. I for one, loved those scenes. 

The surround sound comes in handy as you join a bewildered Bob discover Jack-Jack's powers, not to mention it also amplifies Michael Giacchino's pulsating & riveting musical score. The action scenes, which are so big in scale that they involve a run-away train (and yacht) and are so kinetic it will keep you at the edge of your seat.  

9/10 -"Incredibles 2" takes it home with their family dynamic comedy and sudden tug of the heart string moments.For (in this movie lover's opinion) a bigger and better successor to its 2004 predecessor.

Elastigirl and Jack-Jack are the stars of this film and they shine so bright you may need to look away....(hint*hint*)