June 20, 2018 3 min to read

The Incredibles 2

Overall, the Incredibles 2 sequel lacks the sharpness of the original, and the writing as a whole just doesn’t compare.

by Zach Saul

Overall, the Incredibles 2 sequel lacks the sharpness of the original, and the writing as a whole just doesn’t compare. Even so, it’s still a lock for a best animated picture nomination, a testament how far ahead Pixar is of the rest of the pack. For the first thirty or so minutes I was worried about this Incredibles sequel - because the scenes with Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl in their “domestic” life really struggle to summon energy. There’s only so many times I can stomach Holly Hunter using “but what about the kids” as an excuse not to make a decision, or take an action - before I declare the character and the writing lazy - and I just about got there. (I find it pretty reductive to depict mothers as unflinchingly beholden to their ‘domestic duties’.) Thankfully the action picked up in the second half of the film, and the energy of the original film returned. Edna Mode (voiced…unbelievably by director Brad Bird) makes an appearance and delights as we’d expect, and Jack-Jack’s powers give Pixar a chance to do what they do best: world-building. The best moments in the Incredibles 2 are those when Mr. Incredible and his children are discovering Jack-Jack’s powers, and how to utilize them. The randomness of his power adds surprise to the action sequences, something that the rest of the film lacked.

Despite its shortcomings, the Incredibles 2’s action sequences are incredibly creative, (I was particularly fond of “acid-reflux” man) and the beautiful, emotive character designs are second to none. While Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl aren’t among Pixar strongest leads, The Incredibles are interesting because of its dependence of the supporting characters to punctuate the movies. Edna Mode, Frozone and Jack-Jack are crucial to my enjoyment of these films, and their scenes were my favorite in the sequel just like they were in the original.

The short film before The Incredibles deserves mention as well. “Bao” is breathtaking for a million reasons, but none bigger than the storytelling muscle it flexes. “Bao” isn’t the first Pixar short without dialogue - but it might be the most effective. The score, and the montage of a woman gallivanting across town with her beloved dumpling are all we need to activate our tear ducts. The character design is among the most unique I’ve ever seen in a digital animation movie (the characters all look like giant bobble-heads).

The Good: The Incredibles 2 is worth the price of admission. Enough creativity, and clever mischief are present to make this movie enjoyable for most that go see it. Pixar got back in the public’s good graces by showing us “Bao” before the movie (Their most recent movie “Coco” featured a short called “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” that was so offensive to moviegoers that complains actually pressured Disney to remove it in Mexico) and it’s a lock to win an Oscar. Jack-Jack’s prominent role, and the return of Edna are also a delight.

The Bad: There’s a sharpness that’s noticeably missing from The Incredibles 2. The jokes fall a little bit flatter, there isn’t as much cleverness, and it feels at times like the writers are returning to the same tropes. Pixar is known for storytelling, and I thought this film was among their weaker efforts in that area. The Incredibles is outstanding and the sequel is a solid movie - I sincerely hope Disney doesn’t force Pixar to churn out a third Incredibles film, which could leave a bad stamp on the franchise if poorly executed.