Refl ux or dimensional teleporter Voyd
only to give them fl eeting screen time,
and the fi lm’s villain.
Like Syndrome in the fi rst movie,
Screenslaver has personal reasons
for wanting to wreak havoc but they
appear to have other motivations
that, when you realise who’s behind
the masked message-maker, seem
relatively random. Despite it being
glaringly obvious who Screenslaver
actually is, the movie tries to maintain
the mystery of their true identity for
far too long, meaning that when they
are fi nally revealed, they have none of
Syndrome’s charisma or threatening
presence either.
While Screenslaver falls fl at, other
characters literally soar. Jack-Jack
and his abilities – one of which cause
his sneezes to propel him skyward –
absolutely steals the show, whether
he’s spontaneously combusting at
inappropriate moments or grinning
sweetly as he slams his face into a
bowl of milky cereal.
It may not be as polished as its
predecessor, but Incredibles 2 is
action-packed and joyful enough to
please fans already connected to these
characters. To pinch a phrase from
Edna Mode, who declares she enjoys
Helen and Bob’s drop-bys several
times in the fi rst fi lm, we enjoyed this
sequel’s visit.
Amy Westreview
FILM INFO
T THE HYPNOTIC MESSAGES THAT SCREENSLAVER BROADCASTS ARE MAINLY MADE UP OF A LOPSIDED MICKEY MOUSE.
Released
Out now
Certifi cate
PG
Director
Brad Bird
Screenwriter
Brad Bird
Cast
Holly Hunter, Craig T
Nelson, Samuel L Jackson,
Bob Odenkirk,
Catherine Keener
Distributor
Walt Disney Studios
Running Time
118 m i n sUnderminer, the Parrs are approached
by wealthy telecommunications mogul
Winston Deavor and his savvy sister
Evelyn, who pitch putting cameras
in their suits as a way of changing
people’s perceptions on supers. As
Elastigirl has the least problematic
track record she becomes the cause’s
poster person and goes to the roughest
part of Metroville to fi ght crime in the
public’s eye. But their PR stint hits a
snag when a mysterious fi gure named
Screenslaver, who controls people via
hypnotic broadcasts, shows up.
Elastigirl is an inspired choice of
lead this time round and her powers
are thrilling to watch. Her heroics
also mean that husband Bob stays at
home to care for a loved-up teenage
daughter, a hyperactive son and a
baby who’s just begun showcasing his
many superpowers; something that
provides many of the fi lm’s laughs
and simultaneously, more touching
moments as well.
You’ll be riding such a high that you
may not care that the
story is a little on the
weak side. Several
beats feel familiar- Violet pining over
her schoolmate,
one of the parents
going back into the
fi eld alone, another
monorail rescue –
and new fl ourishes
aren’t developed
enough. Examples
being introducing
interesting supers
like lava-barfer
OR STAY IN AND WATCH...
Megamind
DreamWorks’ take on the
superhero genre shares similarities, as it’s largely
focused on humour.074 | W W W. S C I FI N OW.CO.U K
★★★★★Compared to the likes of Up and
more recently Coco, The Incredibles
has always been one of Disney Pixar’s
lighter, more fun outings. Incredibles 2
leans into that idea, and then some.
When we meet the titular family
again, they’re gearing up to face the
Underminer, the antagonist who
popped out from beneath the ground
at the end of the fi rst fi lm. What
follows is one belter of an opener as
parents Helen, Bob and their kids try
to take down the baddie with the big
teeth and even bigger drill alongside
pal Lucius. The scene fl exes each of
the supers’ powers brilliantly; Mr
Incredible uses Elastigirl as a human
trampoline, Violet zaps a boulder
with one of her force-fi elds and
Frozone skating between buildings
on his self-made ice has never looked
cooler. All the while, the team bickers
humourously about who should be
lumbered with infant Jack-Jack.
That energy rarely lets up.
After their destructive fi ght withIs the sequel better than
the original?
Sadly, it isn’t, as its villain isn’t
quite as effective and it seems
to prioritise formulaic fun over
progressing the titular family’s
story further. That being said, it
is more humourous.
How effective is Elastigirl as the
main protagonist?
Given that the original was so
male-orientated – (both the hero
and the villain were men) – it was
time for some Elastigirl power.
In truth though, it’s her awesome
powers that make her such a
great lead.
Is the short beforehand worth
a watch?
Bao is a stunning tale about an
aging Chinese-Canadian mother
who starts caring for a dumpling
after it comes to life. It’s also the
fi rst Pixar short directed by a
woman... Don’t miss it!
Has the animation improved?
It’s been 14 years since The
Incredibles was released, so
it stands to reason that forever-
advancing technologies have
made this fi lm look sensational
(look out for Helen Parr’s dimples).
INCREDIBLES 2
FAQ
INCREDIBLES 2
Disney Pixar’s sequel
is fun but familiar