The Incredibles II (2018)

It's pretty safe to say that 9 times out of 10, a sequel to a film coming out 15 years after the original is somewhat of a risk. 'The Incredibles' was one of the best films from Pixar Studios and it's a wonder even to this day why a sequel took so long but now that it has arrived, I can say that it was well worth the wait. When first announced, the film was to take place 15 years after the original but that either was untrue or changed early in development because despite the gap, this film opens literally minutes after the original with the superhuman family attempting to stop the evil Underminer only to bring more destruction and having them sent back into exile. In steps a business mogul (Bob Odenkirk) who wants to bring back the supers to bring about a better world. These attempts at good PR bring about a new villain the Screen Slaver and it'll be up to the Parr family to stop him.

First, what I love about the film above all other things is just how smooth it all feels despite its large development gap. I felt like I had just finished watching the 2004 original and went right into a new story without any issues about catching up to the story. The film recalls plot points well without just simply retelling those who came in late and it shows how much respect the crew and director Brad Bird have for their audience. I also love that the film has such a good pace, jumping from one scene to another that even with the surprising lack of action scenes the character and dialogue scenes are so good on their own, the film had my attention completely. The script itself is also excellent, with some of the funniest dialogue and gags I have seen in a Pixar film, with the highlight being the return of the eccentric Edna Mode (played by director Bird himself) though sadly she gets much less screen time in this outing.

Really, I could just sum it all up here and tell you that 'Incredibles II' is a great sequel and yes it's even better than the first and be done and I do believe that. However, the film isn't without flaws and unfortunately the biggest one I had was the villain. No spoilers will be posted here, but in summary the film attempts a bait and switch twist with its baddies that was not only predictable, but also an extreme letdown once you know the true mastermind. Their motivations are pretty weak and goes back to a past event, which was a big issue with the previous film's Syndrome. But Syndrome felt like he had more of a personality, more development, and despite a weak motivation was an engaging villain that got your attention. The Screen Slaver is just a lazy philosophy spewing bad guy, who monologues more than a Bond villain and is overall the biggest letdown of the film.

Still, despite my gripes 'The Incredibles II' is a fantastic sequel that outdoes the original in virtually every way. The returning cast fit right back in as if they just continued yesterday and the newer members range from good to serviceable. You won't find a sequel like this too often, and it comes highly recommended.

9.5