Incredibles ll Succeeds In Delivering Much Of What Audiences Loved About The Original

      After making audiences wait 14 years to see the continuation of America's number one iconic superhero family, Disney's Pixar finally gives audiences the sequel they've been waiting for with Incredibles ll. Reuniting all the key voice actors and characters back from the first film, the filmmakers pick up the story from where they left off previously with the sequel placing focus on the Incredibles families new mission, which includes a switch in family roles with the parents. The first Incredibles became a smash hit upon its release in 2004, pulling in over $630 million worldwide and garnering instant critical acclaim with a sequel being discussed and brainstormed for over a decade before being greenlighted. Returning from the first film are Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, and Samuel L. Jackson with newcomers Huckleberry Milner, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, and Jonathan Banks. The sequel was put on hold by the previous films director Brad Bird, who wished to differentiate the script from other superhero films and TV shows released since the first movie with more emphasis being placed on the family dynamic rather than the superhero genre. The end result is one that proves to be highly satisfying and ultimately a worthy sequel to it's predecessor. However, given the 14 year timespan that audiences waited for the second installment in the popular Incredibles series, one can help but feel the end result is slightly underwhelming.

      The plot for Incredibles ll centers around the Incredibles family Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, and Jack-knives (Voiced to absolute perfection by Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, and Eli Fucile) being prohibited from using their powers as their crime-fighting routines often ended up causing massive property damage. The people who come to their support are a wealthy entrepreneur (Voiced by Bob Odenkirk) and his inventive sister (Voiced by Catherine Keener), both whom begin a campaign to make superheroes legal again. However, a supervillain with the ability to hypnotize others has alternative plans for the Incredibles. One of the strongest aspects of the sequel is how well the stories for the first two films blend together with the plot for Incredibles ll feeling like a natural evolution for the characters. Much like Pixar's Toy Story 1 and 2, Incredibles ll maintains the same style of fun, charm, superhero satire, and family dynamic that the first Incredibles movie possessed. Brad Bird returns to the directing chair and crafts a sequel that remains just as witty, inventive, and smart as the first even if the sequel doesn't quite pack the same emotional punch but remains a touching story nonetheless about a superhero family, that essentially desires to fit in with society as well as be accepted. Whereas The Incredibles heavily revolved around Mr. Incredible with Mrs. Incredible being second to the story, the sequel reverses the roles with Elastigirl receiving the main focus in the script this time with the husband struggling to adjust to everyday family life. Both stories are written so well and appear to be complimentary of each other. Though Incredibles ll misses some of the spark that made the first movie the animated classic it is today, the sequel comes close enough and earns its name of being a worthy follow-up that maintains the heart and rich entertainment value of it's predecessor.

      As far as the voice performances go, the returning cast from the first film as well as the band of newcomers all deliver fantastic performances, bringing old characters back to life with the same style of energy and enthusiasm with the new faces being appealing and interesting characters. Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter both give excellent performances as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl with their relationship being the heart of the story. These two make for one of the screens most compelling superhero couples, as they bring both charm and believability to their roles in regards to showing audiences the struggle of balancing out their normal everyday family lives along with being international superheroes in a vein similar to Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids and Sky High. Sarah Vowell is great once again as Violet with the audience witnessing her characters struggle to be both a normal teen as well as being apart of her families superhero team. She's equally likable and sympathetic of a character as she was in the previous film. The same goes for Huck Milner and Eli Fucile as Dash and Jack-knives, both do a terrific job of fitting back into their roles and adding more to their characters. Samuel L. Jackson delivers another strong, fun, and impressive performance as close friend of the Incredibles as well as crime fighting partner, Frozone. Jackson once again shines in his supporting role, making his character equally fun to watch as the first time around. As for the new additions to the cast, Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener deliver excellent voice acting performances as the wealthy siblings, intending to put superheroes back on the map with Keener delivering the strongest performance of the two. Brad Bird reprises his role of Edna from the first Incredibles, adding the same style of humor, charm, and wittiness to the role being equally effective. The performances from the main cast play a huge part in why the sequel does such a great job of attempting to maintain the same style of fun, excitement, and heart as its predecessor. There is not one performance in the film that doesn't feel enthusiastic nor inspired as everyone brings their A game here while appearing to be having a ball.

      In terms of the films directing and writing, Brad Bird once again returns to the directing chair and continues the story of these iconic characters he near flawlessly brought to the screen 14 years prior. What Bird does so well with the characters is making them feel real and relatable to the audience. He makes the audience care about the family and understand their struggle in regards to living two lives. It's also noble how he gives Elastigirl the same kind of equal footing that Mr. Incredible had in the first film. The films animation is breathtaking once again with the film looking flashy and colorful with a crisp feel to it. The new superheroes introduced in the film come with impressive character designs, further pulling audiences into the superhero world of the Incredibles. As far as the films running time goes, the film clocks in at an usual running time of two hours for an animated movie and doesn't feel rushed. The film doesn't move slowly nor speeds through it's plot, it lasts long enough for the audience to spend the appropriate amount of time with the main characters again before closing shop with the films stunning climax. Michael Giacchino returns once again to compose the score for the film and delivers another brilliant score, that compliments the main characters as well as the tone of the story. The films action sequences are minimal and spread throughout the film, making their impact more significant when they do arrive. The action this time around is stronger and manages to improve upon what's present in the first Incredibles film. With Incredibles ll, Bird returns to extend the story he created over a decade prior and does a damn good job of trying to make everything match up with the first film.

       The films writing is both the films strongest and weakest point in terms of it falling just shy of it's predecessor. The script excels in giving more development to Elastigirl, as well as switching the family roles with Mr. Incredible essentially being in his wife's shoes this time around. It's a smart move that mirrors the events of the previous film, while presenting something new to the story. The problem with the new film however, is sometimes it becomes too reliant on the previous film for comfort. What made the original Incredibles film so appealing to audiences at the time of it's release, was the fact that it was fresh and creative with it's concept. Before the birth of the MCU, the Incredibles came at a time where comic book movies weren't as routinely released as they are now, and thrived off giving audiences an alternative to Sam Raimi's Spiderman trilogy or Bryan Singers X-Men films. The Incredibles had a concept that took the superhero genre and turned it on it's head in a way which was creative, fun, exciting, noble, and served as entertainment for the whole family. The second Incredibles film is released in an era where many of it's plot devices and twists have already been done before in other superhero movies, making it lose some of the magic of the first movie. As strong as the plot for the sequel is, it has moments where it comes across as feeling a tad formulaic as well as predictable, though not in a way that brings the film down significantly. The film still has the slapstick and broad humor the previous film had along with clever bits of satire. The film carries a strong and effective antagonist, though the main reveal can be predicted a mile away before it actually happens. Perhaps asking for the sequel to recapture all of the first movies magic is too tall of an order given the legacy that the first film has enjoyed in between the two movies, but the sequel does a damn fine job of working its way towards being on the same level as its predecessor. It certainly tries to rekindle the magic of watching these characters for the first time on the screen, as well as exploring their story with the end result being worthy of the franchises name.

       Compared to last year's Into The Spider-Verse, Incredibles ll isn't quite as good as that movie manages to have the impact that this film was searching for in terms of being fresh, impactful, and making it's audience believe in a new breed of superheroes again. The sequel appears to be lacking the innovativeness of it's predecessor. Incredibles ll never feels like it's better than the first film, but it feels like a genuine part ll of the story, that still possesses the heart, the spirit, the charm, and the soul of that film. Watching the new film, it's clear that the returning actors appear to be happy in regards to reprising their roles once again with a story that allows them to build on the work they did before previously. With Incredibles ll, the filmmakers know what the audience want and deliver all of the ingredients that made the first film a smash bit with audiences. The film is a beautifully stunning and colorful film that's witty, extremely fun to watch and carries with it brains. It might've been too much to expect lightning in a bottle twice in terms of matching the same level of audaciousness the first film had, but the sequel remains bold and daring with it's overall presentation with the action marking a significant upgrade from the first film along with a strong enough villain to keep the stakes high. For fans of the first Incredibles as well as Pixar and comic book nerds, Incredibles ll is worth watching as it richly brings back the characters, that audiences fell in love with 14 years prior and gives them a glimpse of where they ended up after the end of the first film. If they choose to make a third Incredibles, one hopes they don't wait as long to put together a compelling story to wrap up the series in grand fashion. One of the strongest films of 2018 as well as being one of the best animated films released last year.

Final Verdict: Incredibles ll is a must see for fans of the first film, as well as fans of superhero films and Pixar movies in general.