Incredibles 2

Nearly 14 years after director Brad Bird and Pixar introduced us to the first family of superheroing, The Incredibles, the family returns for it’s second run in Incredibles 2, which picks up directly after the first film as Underminer, the subterranean Mole appears from below the surface and declares his villainous arrival.

The supers do what they do and destroy half the city to stop Underminer, which again turns the public and government officials against all supers, which sounds a lot like the plot of Batman vs Superman, a plot that was stolen from the original Incredibles film, but bear with me here, this film can’t just be a lazy re-rack right?

It’s not like Disney would pull a The Force Awakens on us again would they?

Underminer, like the first film is never heard or seen from again but that’s forgettable because the real plot begins when a powerful billionaire wants to reintroduce the supers to the public and some adversarial force is creating ciaos to aid them in this return but with their own ulterior motives because . . .

Wait.

Okay, yeah.

That’s the same plot as The Incredibles.

Disney did again.

Despite the duplicate story line this is a really entertaining sequel full of laughs, entertaining action and even subtle political critiques. But what really made the film were the role reversals of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl and the emergence of baby Jack-Jacks powers, which was aided by the wonderfully flamboyant fashion designer Edna Note who’s actually voiced by the director Brad Bird.

Every performance in this film was fantastic, which is odd to say out loud about an animated film, but they were for the most part well developed, believable and even human.

But this time around it’s Elastagirl’s film as she takes the mantle as leading super, mainly because the people in power believe she’s less likely to destroy the city in pursuit of the bad guys. She’s fun and heroic and despite her mother-hen instincts there’s an alpha drive in her that you don’t want to mess with.

Thus this leaves Mr. Incredible on the bench, at home with the kids and in over his head. The classic fish out of water character played wonderfully again by Craig T. Nelson, who does his best to manage, along the way finding a new found respect for the domestic house hold role.

But these are the Incredibles and the fate of many lives comes calling on their services.   They must unite and save the day or destroy the thought of supers ever working in public service again.

I know this sounds a lot like Batman vs. Superman, I mean X-men, damit I mean The Avengers or the first Incredibles movie . . .

Geez I’m getting dizzy.

Still, it’s a good film but highly derivative and not in that satirical Deadpool way but in the lazy writing where they’re hoping the audience won’t know or care way.

Funnier than the original but I’m guess I just expected more from Brad Bird and Pixar. Would rather watch Up or Coco.