Film Review: Incredibles 2 (2018)
14 years after the release of Incredibles, we finally have Pixar's Incredibles 2. Brad Bird, director of the first one, as well as Pixar hit Ratatouille, is back holding the reins for this one.
The film begins pretty much where the last one finished; the Incredibles are living a fairly normal existence while trying to do a little on the side to raise the profile of superheroes again. When this profile reaches a whole new low Elastigirl is given an opportunity that just might re-establish the public's trust in superheroes once again. This means that Mr. Incredible is left at home to look after the children, something that becomes increasingly difficult when Jack-Jack starts to display some rather strange powers.
The film was more or less what I expected. There were laughs, striking animation (although I've never been that into the designs of the Incredibles themselves), bright colours, and some good action set-pieces and chemistry between the main characters. Where Pixar has usually pulled itself apart from other animation studios though is in their ability not only to make films that are entertaining for both children and adults, but also that they deliver a message in a refreshing way. Incredibles 2 tries to fulfill this with a rare depiction of a stay-at-home Dad on the cinema screen. This in itself is to be applauded but I was disappointed that the film largely lived up to today's clichés of such a situation. A rather big deal is made of the whole situation too, taking up a large part of the film's narrative. It would have been refreshing for this just to happen, and for the message to be that those old clichés are just that: old.
Due to this misstep, I don't think this particular Pixar film pulls itself apart from the other good animation films out there. You'll enjoy yourself, but its message isn't quite as refreshing as it thinks.