It’s been more than a decade since we last saw the Parr family aka the Incredibles and this 2018, we finally get to see the sequel. Here’s my Incredibles 2 review and I really hope you enjoy the movie as much as I did.

Synopsis

The Incredibles return just where we left them, with the Underminer making an appearance and the Parr family getting their act together as a family and trying to foil the villain’s plans. Unfortunately for them, they suck with their group dynamics. And this tears down the team (so to speak), introduces the new characters, gives us a better look at Elastigirl, showcase the villain Screenslaver and rework the dynamics of the family.

More than that, the film explores family. How it is to be a family, how parents show their genuine love for their children and how fathers blunder around but makes it through for their kids.

As I mentioned to a friend and fellow movie reviewer, Mikaelwrites, the opening scene for Incredibles 2 applied everything Disney learned from doing HUGE superhero set pieces while fleshing out characterization after ten years of doing Marvel movies. It’s supposed to be date but man, they really showed off huge balls with that fight between the Incredibles and Underminer.

Family Woes

Characterization is an important factor in the first movie and it goes overdrive for this one. Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible’s relationship gets put to the test with the way Elastigirl’s return to the public eye is getting some serious positive response. It doesn’t sit well with her husband who’s used to that treatment. Bob is also thrust in a strange new world where he’s the househusband and he’s not used to dealing with all the usual challenges his wife deals with on a daily basis like Dash’s homework or Jack-Jack in general.

Elastigirl gets to shine not just in terms of superheroing but also showing she’s as good as the male counterparts in the business. That gets shown time and time again with her dealings with Screenslaver.

Violet and Dash is still cute when they bicker but they’ve developed a strong teenage angst segment for Violet as she’s reeling from being ditched by a possible love interest, still due to Bob’s meddling.

BEDTIME STORY – In “Incredibles 2,” Bob navigates life at home with the Parr kids while Helen leads a campaign to bring back Supers. But when baby Jack-Jack shows some surprising changes – including the appearance of a few unexpected super powers—Bob finds that it’s challenging to keep up (and awake), even for Mr. Incredible. Featuring Craig T. Nelson as the voice of Bob, Disney-Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” opens in U.S. theaters on June 15, 2018. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Jack-Jack is the real MVP for this movie though. There’s a huge chunk of the film that not only gives us funny moments but also sets the youngest Parr family member for a potential spinoff down the line. And please Disney, make Jack-Jack versus Rocket a reality.

As I mentioned earlier, the film deconstructs what a family is and then reconstructs it in the end with a better understanding. It’s a nice, family friendly, less dead superheroes reflection into our families. Our parents and siblings drive us crazy but we’re there for them in the end or they’ll be there for us when we need them the most.

Weakest Links

I found the villain(s) pretty weak in Incredibles 2. It took me a while to write this Incredibles 2 review mainly because I was trying to figure out the logic behind the motive. Without spoiling, it’s weak as in, its something you can get therapy from if it scarred you so much. Then again, put yourself in the main villain’s shoe and that might not be the case. But alas, said villain is nothing compared to Syndrome

The other “villains” in this movie are the superheroes who have come out from hiding after Elastigirl’s glorious return to the spotlight. They serve their purpose well as both tormentors and second stringers AND as muscles for the main villain. There’s one character in particular who really stood out and that’s “The Void”, a character who not only fangirls hard at Helen’s appearance but is actually VERY useful at the film’s climatic moment.

Incredibles 2 Review – Verdict

9/10

It’s a good movie with a good amount of jokes, wit, feels and action. It’s great and can stand on it’s own and away from the shadow of the first movie. However, if you want to full course meal, I highly recommend you watch the first “Incredibles” movie to enjoy the small bits and pieces that tie-in nicely to the narrative of the second movie.

Special thanks to Walt Disney Studios Philippines for the invite.