Susan Granger’s review of “Incredibles 2” (Disney/Pixar)
14 years after the original, Brad Bird’s digitally animated superhero franchise has a super sequel, revolving around the Parr family.
Bob, Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), is the traditional strong, protective patriarch and Helen (voiced by Holly Hunter), is his flexible wife – a.k.a. Elastigirl.
Violet (voiced by Sarah Vowell) is their angst-laden teenage daughter, while Dash (voiced by Huck Milner) is her rowdy, impulsive younger brother, and Jack-Jack (voiced by Eli Fucile) is the baby. The family’s best friend is Lucius Best – a,k.a. Frozone (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson).
This story begins where the last movie left off: superheroes are still forbidden from saving lives. So when they dispense with destructive, drill-riding Underminer (voiced by John Ratzenberger), they’re unceremoniously banished from suburbia and forced to live in a cheap motel.
To their rescue comes savvy telecommunications entrepreneur Winston Deavor (voiced by Bob Odenkirk) and his cynical sister Evelyn (voiced by Catherine Keener), who convince Elastigirl to kick off a campaign to reinstate superheroes.
Feeling empowered, Elastigirl’s first crime-fighting target is a mysterious, masked villain, known as Screensaver, who uses television to hypnotize, then brain-wash masses of people, turning them into mindless zombies.
Meanwhile, Bob’s predictably uncomfortable playing Mr. Mom. He finds Dash’s ‘new math’ homework baffling, and he’s exhausted trying to wrangle three rambunctious kids. A male chauvinist, he’s jealous that his wife gets all the action and attention.
During Mom’s absence, Jack-Jack suddenly exhibits his own, unique superpowers. Which means stylist Eda Mode (voiced by Brad Bird), needs to design suitable attire for him. “No capes!”
Worst of all, unmasked Violet’s seen in her superhero costume by a boy at school on whom she has a crush. That sticky situation must be remedied by the family’s trusty government ‘handler’ Rick Dicker (voiced by Jonathan Banks), utilizing a ‘mind wash.’
Imaginative and inventive, the retro-futuristic design is terrific, as is Michael Giacchino’s score.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Incredibles 2” is an exciting 8, fun family fare.
