- "Incredibles 2" is a sequel to 2004's "The Incredibles."
- The Disney/Pixar movie is nearly as wonderful as the first movie.
- Elastigirl shines as the hero.
After 14 years of waiting, "Incredibles 2" is about to hit theaters and the reviews are in.
The sequel to the 2004 film "The Incredibles" starts exactly where the first movie ended with the Parr family going after the Underminer. In a world where superheroes are banned, Helen Parr, Elastigirl, is tasked with getting the public back on the superheroes side, while Bob Parr, Mr. Incredible, stays at home and takes care of the kids.
Director and writer Brad Bird returns for the follow-up film, as does most of the original voice cast. Craig T. Nelson is Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter is Elastigirl, Sarah Vowell is Violet, and Samuel L Jackson is back as Frozone. New to the cast is Huck Milner as the new voice of Dash. Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, and Sophia Bush also voice new characters.
With a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is just shy of the original's 97%.
Here's what critics are saying.
Elastigirl leads the charge, and it's refreshing.
"Young girls will be inspired by seeing so much focus on a female superhero with Mrs. Incredible in the spotlight. I think this is one of the few superhero movies where you see female heroes have more screen time than their male counterparts and boy is it refreshing."
"It's satisfying to watch Hunter's character get to stretch her legs — so to speak — as she heads out alone on her Elasticycle, thrilling a carful of teenage girls she passes on the highway."
The heart of the movie is its humanity.
"Deavor and his techie sister Evelyn believe their operation will be most successful with Elastigirl as its poster child, which leaves dad to stay at home with the brood while mom gets to have all the fun. Via this conventional role reversal, 'Incredibles 2' embraces a modern feminist streak, championing women's ability to thrive in the workplace no matter the insecure chauvinism of the men they leave behind to tackle day-to-day household chores. At the same time, it celebrates men's fatherly instincts, which may start off a bit rough-around-the-edges, but are up to any domestic challenge, as Mr. Incredible proves in helping Dash with his homework, Violet with her love life, and Jack-Jack with his volatile condition: flip-flopping between various superpowers, which come to the fore in a hilarious showdown with a neighborhood raccoon."
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
"As with all of Bird's films, 'Incredibles 2' is at its best when reconciling the mundane with the magical. The Parrs want to be Supers and ordinary parents, but they live in a world that’s constantly forcing them to choose between their identities."
It isn't as incredible as the first movie.
"'Incredibles 2' lacks some of the tight plotting, well-choreographed action, and emotional moments of its predecessor, but it's still a boatload of fun."
"Though it would be unrealistic to expect 'Incredibles 2' to have quite the genre-busting surprise of the original, it is as good as it can be without that shock of the new — delivering comedy, adventure and all too human moments with a generous hand."
— Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
There's a lot going on, and it's a little long.
"While writer-director Brad Bird's 'Incredibles 2' is undeniably a good time at the movies for the whole family, it's the rare superhero movie that may have too many ideas knocking around in its noggin, none of which seem terribly coherent. And that, in the end, makes the film less than it clearly wants to be."
"At an hour and 58 minutes, 'Incredibles 2' feels a bit long and maybe that's because it's Pixar's longest movie to date. Granted, it's only two minutes longer than the original "Incredibles," but that's still a long movie to get through if you're bringing kids to the theaters."
The movie hits theaters Friday. Watch the trailer below.
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