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Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) is left to care for Jack-Jack while Helen (Elastigirl) is out saving the world.
The first film of “The Incredibles,” released in November of 2004, is about a family of supers trying to be themselves in a world that wants them to go away. Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) got married and…got busy! Violet and Dash, their oldest two children, already had superpowers, but Jack-Jack was a baby and so far, seemed perfectly normal – except that he wasn’t yet toilet trained, of course. Mr. Incredible was stuck in a horrible job, processing insurance claims until he got fired for attacking his hateful boss. About to move his family again for the umpteenth time, he suddenly received a mysterious, incredibly well-paying job.
The twist in the original story was that the well-paying job turned out to be a psychotic fan, whom Mr. Incredible spurned when the fan was just a boy with dreams of being a super’s sidekick. The end was victorious obviously, and supers were allowed to come out of hiding and simply be themselves. The final scene was a track meet for Dash (his superpower is incredible speed), Violet was asked out on a date, and another villain launched an attack.
The original story and film was an immediate sensation, winning two Academy Awards and the Annie Award for the Best Animated Feature, along with other prestigious accolades. Not only that, but fans everywhere love the Parr family and this sequel has been long awaited. It’s been 14 years and surprisingly enough, “Incredibles 2” begins with that very same day of Dash’s race, Violet’s crush, and the destruction of the Underminer. There is a key reason for this choice of not losing any time between the two stories and that reason is…Jack-Jack.
Jack-Jack was a baby 14 years ago and truth be told, audiences would simply be dismayed if he had grown up in the time that it took for a sequel to happen. Toward the end of the first Incredibles, we saw clues of Jack-Jack’s powers-to-be and we’ve all been dying to know what he is capable of. As a result, there is no passing of time and yet, as if in some odd glitch of alternate worlds, there are time differences. The animation has changed. Bob (Mr. Incredible) and Helen (Elastigirl) seem older, more aggressive in their expressions. Even Violet is almost violent in her adolescence. The humor has changed. After all, the audiences are more than a decade evolved in what they find funny. The tone of the story isn’t quite as simple and good-hearted as it once felt.
Unfortunately, the plot itself changes very little. The freedom of the supers is still being threatened by politicians and enemies alike. Right when the family is facing weeks in a tiny hotel room, Elastigirl gets a very lucrative offer of employment from a private investor and suddenly the family is living like royalty. But guess who the bad guy turns out to be?
Jack-Jack truly is a crowd pleaser and he turns out to be the most loved character of the whole show, stealing everyone’s laughter and adoration. Even “Auntie Edna” (voice of Brad Bird, also writer and director) is so smitten by the baby’s antics that she forgets all about her fabulous career for a moment and gives away her design services for free. Although watching Jack-Jack’s abilities unfold is indeed hilarious, his powers are excessive and over the top, almost too unbelievable, even for a superkid.
Speaking of excessive, the number of supers introduced in this story dull the distinction of the characters significant to the plot. The “special effects,” the hyper-speed of the twists and turns, the amalgamation of decade-old familiarity and endearment colliding with the cynicism and bitter humor of today, all feel like uncomfortable snags in a cheaply woven sweater. Worse, we are quite obviously in a trend of the fiercely capable, independent, empowered she-man, “Wonder Woman,” “Oceans 8,” “Tomb Raider,” “Red Sparrow,” “Atomic Blonde,” and more. “Incredibles 2” is not really any different from the first movie, except that the gender roles are reversed and it becomes one more dancer in the entertainment conga line of bold, fearless, female-driven plots. I’m all for bold and fearless stories, male or female, but I find it less than genuine when the expression of feminism erupts only within the safety of the masses’ approval.
Kids will be the audience that rescues this film from its mediocrity. Kids will love the infectious laughter and silliness of Jack-Jack, along with the crazy antics of Violet and Dash. Parents will go see this movie because their kids will love it, and they will enjoy it as well. But I honestly doubt that this sequel will ever reach the same height of accomplishment as the original did. Then again, that has often been the verdict of most sequels and is still a favorite debate among movie buffs. Will “Incredibles 2” be as incredible as the original? Why don’t you go see it and tell me what you think?
In theaters Friday, June 15th
