Monday, March 18, AD 2024 11:38pm

Incredibles 2: A Review

My family and I went to see Incredibles 2 on Saturday.  Most sequels I find disappointing, but this one more than lived up to my expectations.  Review below the fold and the caveat as to spoilers is in full effect:The House of Mouse scored big over the weekend with Incredibles 2, with the film raking in an incredible one hundred and eighty million bucks, which shatters the previous record for an animated film opening weekend by 45 million.  It is the second biggest June opening and the eighth biggest opening weekend of all time.  This time Vox Populi is on the money, with Incredibles 2 being both hilarious and heartwarming.  Like the first film, this film is about the Parr family, typical except that each member of the family has superpowers.  The dialogue is a convincing reflection of how members of a loving family speak to each other.  Loving, but not perfect, with the usual cases of teenage angst, sibling strife and parental anxieties normal to family life in this Vale of Tears.  The film takes off from the last film, with the Parrs facing the problem of the government still outlawing superhero activity.

 

The Incredibles receive backing from a media company headed by a brother and sister duo, scions of a man who was an ardent supporter of the superheroes before they were banned, who want to sponsor Elastigirl to engage in heroics and hopefully change public perception of supers and cause a change in the law.  Mr. Incredible is chagrined that he will not be the sponsored hero, but it is explained by Mr. Deavor that his exploits lead to large damages and the media company’s insurers will only pay so much.  Elastigirl is reluctant to give up her role as a stay-at-home mom.  Mr. Incredible is less than enthused about becoming a house husband, but he encourages his wife to resume her crimefighting career, stating that they need to change the laws so that their children won’t have to hide their powers for the rest of their lives.

 

 

A fair amount of the humor is Mr. Incredible’s initial floundering efforts as a stay-at-home parent, but he ultimately prevails at this heroic task, including dealing with the ever-expanding powers of Baby Jack-Jack:

(The hilarious fight between Jack-Jack and a raccoon is worth the price of admission!)

The film has some surprisingly deep thoughts for a movie that seems on its surface to be light summer entertainment.  The villainness of the film  wants to keep superheroes illegal because she fears that people would become dependent on them and be unable to fight their own battles.  I instantly rejected this, and the thought occurred to me that Catholics perhaps have a better understanding of superheroes than most people, since we have our galaxy of saints, many of whom had supernatural abilities granted to them by God.  They serve to inspire us to take up our crosses in the never-ending  battle between good and evil, both external to us and within ourselves.

I won’t give away any more of the film except to say that the good guys win. (Surprise!)

A highly entertaining film with good moral lessons.  What is there not to love?

 

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Foxfier
Admin
Monday, June 18, AD 2018 7:32am

*stops reading after spoiler warning*

Coolness, will suggest that Elf take the horde!

Nate Winchester
Nate Winchester
Monday, June 18, AD 2018 10:39am

You should Foxfier.

I enjoyed it a bit too. I don’t think it quite equals the first, but it’s very solid. Someone told me that in an interview Brad Bird said there was a time crunch on this film (really? after over a decade? – something’s up behind the scenes) and there is just a slight hint of it being rushed.

John F. Kenendy
John F. Kenendy
Monday, June 18, AD 2018 10:59am

I saw it last night with most of the family, just like 14 years ago. We enjoyed it a lot. It is a worthy sequel. Due to the fatherhood storyline, being released over Fathers Day weekend is fitting.

My only gripe is that it is, at least, 10 years late.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Monday, June 18, AD 2018 3:20pm

“Done properly parenting is a heroic act. Done properly.”

What a message!

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Monday, June 18, AD 2018 11:02pm

[…] Even the Most Saintly Catholic Families have Their Problems – Francis Phillips, Cth Hrld Incredibles 2: A Review – Donald R. McClarey J.D., The American Catholic The Catholic Visionary Who Founded the World […]

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