Welcome to my first in depth movie review. This review will give you an idea about how they're structured, what I touch upon and how my ratings work. What better film to start off with than the long-awaited sequel Incredibles 2
This film is a PG, was released on July 13th 2018 and this review will contain NO SPOILERS
Introduction
Pixar is by far my favourite animation film company working today. They are masters at creating creative worlds, original stories and engaging characters. In fact, I don't even think you could just say they're one of the best studios in animation, they're one of the best in film as a whole. However, out of their entire filmography, The Incredibles is not one I'd rank near the top, like many others do. I certainly enjoy it immensely and get a good kick out of it with each viewing, but it didn't quite give me the same satisfaction like that of Finding Nemo, Cars and Wall-E. I think the problem was that it was too grounded in reality and not surreal enough like the previously mentioned.
However, among all their pictures, it is probably the only of them which deserved a sequel. In the last decade or so, Pixar has been creating sequels many years after the originals. Yet only now, after follow-ups to Toy Story, Cars, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and Cars again, they realized that an Incredibles 2 was a good idea, even though all the signs were there from the beginning.
Thoughts Going In
After waiting a month after the American release, positivity surrounded the film. I got the idea that this would be a great sequel. I also thought that I'd like this one more than the original as I haven't seen it in years and my perception would most likely be a lot different after I've become so attached to superhero films, particularly from Marvel. In summary, my current self would probably have a different view on these films than my younger self. So, I was excited and had high expectations.
The Story
Well, the most noteworthy thing is the fact that the film literally picks up about 30 seconds after the ending of the original. We have an entertaining opening sequence with the family fighting the Underminer. The plot then takes shape as superheroes, or 'supers', are officially illegal and must remain underground. But, a man named Winston approaches Mr Incredible, Elastigirl and Frozone as he wants to bring the supers back. He sends Elastigirl out first to try and show what good they can do, whilst Mr Incredible is left at home to look after the children, which is proven to be a struggle as Jack-Jack is revealed to have some new, bizarre powers.
What I Liked
I think what sets this apart from other Pixar sequels like Monsters University and Finding Dory is that it has a justified reason to exist. As much as I like those two films, there is a sense of not being necessary throughout. The only reasons that justify a sequel's existence to me are if:
- The wider narrative hasn't been completed and / or the first ended on a cliffhanger
- Certain elements that weren't fully utilized before are explored in greater detail (this includes world building or new character arcs)
- I enjoyed the first to the extent that I wanted to see more of it, which is a personal reason.
It doesn't necessarily irritate me when studios make a sequel if previous installments were box office hits or simply became culturally relevant among fans, as long as it entertains me enough, I'll be satisfied. But I do prefer some reasoning behind it, because in some cases, it does weigh down a film and even damage my opinion. Luckily, that isn't the case here.
This film matches points 2 and 3. The narrative is satisfying because the characters grow, develop and we understand more about them than we did at the end of the first. We know that Mr Incredible is not perfect many times when taking care of the kids and there's more of Elastigirl which allows for more fun action scenes and a better understanding of her capabilities. Plus, most of what is on offer is much like the original, so we do see more of what we liked, I use 'we' because everyone on earth wanted this movie to be made, even you. Don't try to deny it.
I also think that the film is much more entertaining than the original. The big deal-breaker for me with any film is whether or not I had a good time watching it. Incredibles 2 definitely offers plenty of laughs, most of which revolve around the hilarious antics of Jack-Jack, who was arguably pointless the first time around. But this time, we see all his ridiculous powers like laser-vision, fire, walking through walls and whatnot. It all adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable character and variety of running jokes, which received some very big laughs from the audience I was with.
Obviously, the animation is spectacular because it is Pixar. But with this film in particular, it visually stood out with its aesthetic and stylized characters and action. In addition, there were many times where certain shots just looked as if they were real. Everything had a strange tactility to it. The textures on the suits and clothing looked refined, Frozone's ice and snow was vastly detailed and realistic, and some visual flairs like lightning zaps, lasers and portals, all of which are summoned by various other characters, have their own level of wonder. I'd go into detail but you can just look at any shot from this film and you'll know why I think this. Pixar is yet to reveal a flaw from an animation standpoint, in my opinion.
What I Didn't Like
There is very little to criticize here. I have a few small issues which honestly don't hurt the film itself, but do feel slightly annoying. One is the fact that the animation has clearly advanced a lot since 2004 and it is quite noticeable. The characters clearly look like they did in the original but with certain facial features such as wrinkles around their eyes or more refined skin tones that make them look a tiny bit different. This would be less of a problem if some passage of time had occurred between the two films, but because this begins exactly where the first ended, it is a little bit distracting. Also, some characters like Rick and Tony plainly look very different. But, that really didn't hurt my experience at all, it's just a small issue that stood out.
Another is hardly a problem regarding the film itself, but it's about the timing of the film in terms of the release. As I said earlier, I am very fond of Marvel films such as Avengers or Deadpool which Incredibles 2 is unfortunately inferior to for me. I feel like because the stakes in the genre have raised significantly since 2004, this film wouldn't stand out as well as the first did. Its only superhero competitor was Spider-Man 2, whereas this is released in the same year as Black Panther, Deadpool 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp and the billion dollar behemoth Avengers: Infinity War. So, what I'm saying is that it just isn't that mind-blowing as we've seen the most the genre can offer. However, I am happy that I saw those Marvel films, because they changed my view on superhero movies and probably made me enjoy this to the extent that I did.
Summary
Incredibles 2 is really terrific. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It finally brought the follow-up we'd all been wanting, developed the characters, upped the humour and dazzled with its visuals. If I had to say whether it is better than the first, I'd have to rewatch it because I haven't seen it in years and my opinion would probably change with my new superhero-loving mindset. But based off of what I remember, it's on par for sure. It doesn't rank among my top Pixar movies, but it is definitely another solid flick they can add to their canon.
I'm going to give Incredibles 2 an S
As I haven't yet covered it, my rating system goes as follows:
EE (Enjoyably Engaging) is when a film has nothing to dislike and is essentially perfect
E (Engaging) is with very minor issues but is very good and entertaining overall
S (Solid) is just a solid movie, not perfect by any means, but solid
D (Decent) is with a fair amount of flaws but more than enough to like
O (Okay) is middle of the road, but slightly more positive than negative
A (Average) is middle of the road, but slightly more negative than positive
M (Mediocre) is with a fair amount of good points but a lot more to dislike
B (Bad) is just a bad movie, not terrible by any means, but bad
R (Rubbish) is with very minor redeeming factors but is very bad and boring overall
RR (Really Rubbish) is when a film has nothing to like and is essentially irredeemable
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