Review of Incredibles 2 (2018) by Clark M — 21 Jun 2018

Jack-Jack is so cool. He is my favorite character in the first movie and in this sequel. Definitely. I'm not knocking the other characters. They're cool too, funny and fun to watch, but the baby wins the Emmy for coolest character.

Of course, Mr. Incredible is cool. He's strong and funny. I laughed at his notion that being a care-giver to the three kids would be something he could do easily. Ha! Right. I laughed at him so many times throughout the movie. And Elastigirl? In an era of strong female roles, she performed just as she was written to be, giving girls a positive role model to follow. Smart. Observant. Curious. Patient. Worried about her kids. Doing fifteen things at the same time, successfully. Though she did have a big butt and skinny legs. I noticed. And Violet? The typical teenage girl, wanting freedom, demanding attention, and expecting her parents to treat her as an equal. And Dash? Well, he was an energy-filled boy, getting into trouble as he jumped into things without considering the consequences, yet always seemed to be happy and content.

But, let's be critical for a second. And by "critical" I do not mean rude. Let's think about how these four characters were portrayed. Are they original individuals, with ideas and mannerisms that are unique to them, or are they stereotypes? The typical dad? The typical mom? The typical teenage daughter? The typical preteen son? I know that each of these four (we'll get to the baby later) are individuals, with emotions and mannerisms. I wonder if twelve or thirteen-year-old girls will see this movie and then see themselves in this girl's actions and words? Will they say, "I'm not that angry" or "I too feel that frustration"? I wonder if ten-year-old boys will notice the lack of impulse control in Dash and want to do what he does? Will viewers leave this movie seeing themselves in the action scenes, or will they feel like "that could never happen to me" like I did when I watched "Wonder Woman" and "Deadpool 2"?

I'm not a kid. I am an adult. I have an adult's experiences, many years of seeing things as they really are, as well as seeing things as writers and producers want me to see them (in the theater). I know that this family isn't real and that the action they engage in isn't possible, but some of the frustrations that the characters felt are ones that I've felt. Desire to succeed. Desire to be included. Desire to be given space so I can live my own life. Desire to show other people that I can do what others do. Yep, I connected with the movie in a personal manner, sometimes thinking, "Hey, I've been there, my friend.".

But mostly, I laughed. A lot. Especially at the baby. I kept waiting to see when Jack-Jack would show up. When he wasn't in a scene, I wondered when he'd appear and what he'd do. Blowing up big when he was being crushed inside the air duct, very cool. Popping in and out of existence into another dimension, awesome. Duplicating into multiple Jack-Jacks when he got excited, hilarious. Turning into a fiery raging baby, scary. And the laser eyes (ouch). And telekinesis (moving objects without touching them). And floating. And super-strength (fighting the raccoon). And going through solid objects (like walls or glass). And electricity emission (when he sneezes). And mimicry (becoming like Edna, hair, nose, walk). Such a talented, yet completely out-of-control baby. Which one will he gravitate toward as he ages? Will he naturally adopt one and drop the others? Who knows?

Here is something interesting that you don't get in the movie. Edna Mode, the short and ever-so-talented fashion designer who makes the uniforms for the Incredibles is voiced by a man, Brad Bird, the director of this animated movie. If you search for information about him, you'll discover that he is a very, very talented person. Did you know that?

I missed a lot in the movie, not because I wasn't paying attention, but just because it's another Pixar movie with Easter Eggs. Did you notice the title of the movie that Tony and Violet were going to see at the movie's end? "Dementia A113." This is a reference to that Cal-Arts classroom where many Pixar founders studied, room A113. And, there was a real movie called "Dementia 13" which came out in 1963. Did you notice Johnny Quest, and The Outer Limits on the motel room tv set? These are popular television shows from the 1960s. So, yes, this movie is set in the decade in which I was born, the 1960s. And if you pay close attention, you'll see The Pizza Planet truck. Where? Go watch it again and try to find it. It's there, though slightly modified to fit into the 1960's milieu. And that Safari Inn that the family is staying at (because their home blew up at the end of "The Incredibles")? It really exists, near the Disney Studios in Burbank, CA.

Look. If you have kids, bring them to this movie. They will laugh and have a good time. However, there is a warning for kids or adults who might have photosensitive epilepsy. The flashing lights used by the Screenslaver to mesmerize people and get them to do her bidding (yes, it was a her), just might bother some viewers. I left with a migraine.