I suppose
it was only a matter of time before this movie got a sequel, even if it wound
up being a pretty long time. Overall,
I’d say it’s definitely worth it – I enjoy seeing Elastigirl take center stage,
it has some interesting things to say, and every moment of Jack-Jack is gold –
but, having rewatched the first film recently, I don’t think it’s quite as
great as its predecessor.
Set
immediately after the events of the first film, the Parrs are back on the
superhero stage, even though using their powers to fight crime is still
illegal. Bob and Helen are courted by
the Deavor siblings, a business tycoon and his tech-wizard sister, to take part
in a program to relegitimize supers by reframing the public’s perception of
them. To Bob’s consternation, the
Deavors only want Helen to start with, and he finds himself on the sidelines,
staying home with the kids while she gets back on the streets.
It’s a
superhero movie about parenting, working women/working moms, and taking on new
roles. The themes, while digestible for
young audiences, are fairly sophisticated.
Bob certainly gets his share of “parenting-fail” comedy, but the film
doesn’t ultimately frame him as the hapless dad who can’t raise his own kids
while his wife is at work. Instead, he
discovers just what a demanding job being a stay-at-home parent is and applies
himself to the task, meeting the steep learning curve head-on and always trying
to do better. (He’s put at a
disadvantage by baby Jack-Jack’s newly-emerging powers – they are many, and
they’re to a great extent out of Jack-Jack’s control. Jack-Jack and his powers are everything.)
Meanwhile,
Helen balances her love of superhero work and all that goes with it – a genuine
love of helping people, being a role model for supers who’ve felt stifled under
the current law, the adrenaline rush of stopping bad guys – with the struggle
of being away from her family more and feeling like she’s missing out on the
kids’ lives. Alongside Bob’s combination
of pride and envy at her work, we see Helen coming to terms with some of their
past dynamic, which frequently positioned her behind him, as she’s now the one
out front.
But even
though it’s a really entertaining movie with strong action, fun jokes, and good
themes, it doesn’t entirely recapture the fresh inventiveness of the first film. To be fair, a good chunk of that is down to
the different movie landscape, which has exploded in superhero franchises since
the original Incredibles came out in
2004, but still. The twists are pretty
obvious, and some of the action outstays its welcome a little, dragging on too
long. Additionally, Violet and Dash feel
a bit shortchanged compared to their parents.
Much of
the cast from the first film returns here, with Craig T. Nelson and Holly
Hunter continuing to lead the movie with aplomb and director Brad Bird offering
a brief but hilarious return appearance as Edna. Plus, we’re also treated to appearances from
Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener, both effective as the Deavors.
Warnings
Violence,
scary moments, and light thematic elements.
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