Full text transcript of Incredibles 2 review
Hello and welcome to my non spoiler review of The Incredibles, to wit, about two thirds of the way through this movie, I found myself overcome with a sense of dread because I realized that the movie before me would have to end and the time was running out. Oh, why did it have to end? I was literally so sad. It actually hurt my enjoyment of the film knowing that that was coming. But you know what? If Disney can give us three Marvel chapters a year, three of them, why can’t they give us one incredible chapter year? OK, maybe every other year. Right.
But just not every 14. God damn it. God damn it, Brad Bird, although he certainly made up for it. As I tweeted just after my press screening, The Incredibles two does the incredible and actually manages to live up to its massive expectations. Has a movie ever had such expectations? I don’t believe so. And the fact that it’s able to meet them is probably one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen in any medium.
I love this movie so much. Now, it’s weird that I love it so much because there are a lot of surprises in the movie.
We actually guessed most of it right for us and maybe not so great for the ad campaign, which kind of gave the surprises away. But how can you still enjoy it if you kind of know everything that’s going to happen? Well, it’s the utter joy from how the story is told, right? They always say that, you know, sometimes the destination isn’t as important as the journey. Right. Although I don’t think this movie has a complete destination, which we’ll discuss. I think it’s more of a middle chapter film. Yay! Which means more, hopefully. But anyway, so it’s how the story is told. Getting to spend more time with characters we’ve sorely missed. It turns out you can go home again. It felt really like it took me right back to where the first movie left off emotionally. Just in every way it was. It was, it was very it was surreal, but like in a welcome way, you were like, haha. But then also you get to meet some fascinating new characters. Who doesn’t love that. Right. One in particular. And then also we lay our eyes on some breathtaking animation. And that’s what I want to start with, because the quality of the animation was the biggest surprise. And I thought we might be like Bracelet’s it’s Pixar. Of course, it’s well done. Well, Pixar has outdone themselves while I was watching the movie.
So the first thought I had when I was watching the movie, I always feel that because, you know, especially with today’s VFX advancement of VFX, you decide, you know, animated movies are the ones that you still can’t do in live action, even with today’s visual effects, like when you think of the Disney Renaissance, I don’t know if that that’s why they’re doing so many live action versions of that. Like you couldn’t do a beast, you couldn’t do a genie, you couldn’t do a mermaid. You couldn’t do a whole bunch of talking to animals in Africa. Right. So that’s why you need to have animation.
But, you know, that’s going away. So when we watch The Incredibles two, I was like, does this still need to be animated? I mean, we have a lot of superhero live action movies and they’re quite popular. Right.
And you can also certainly do 60 styling live action as well, which, of course, The Incredibles is known for. But the answer to that question is Alastor girl and Jack Jack, who have the bulk of the action here. That’s right. A mom and her baby, which is pretty cool in and of itself, but not together. They don’t have any action scenes really together. But the impressively inventive use of Helen’s elastic powers like, wow, you’ve been slacking Reed Richards. I mean, I just can’t believe what Brad Bird and his team came up with you, but they’re also the eye popping variation of Jack Jack’s powers. Well, though, all those things, both those things can really only be done with animation or else the movie would have like an insane budget. And I also think that firing a Real-Life baby like a gun might come off as a tad irresponsible.
But here it’s a delight in many ways, though.
Speaking of Jack, Jack, he did seem like a real life baby, so adorable and delivering all the requisite oohs and ahs. But also here’s a surprise the most laughs.
He’s a main character in the movie. He has more screen time then dash.
It’s hard to balance three kids, one always going to fall through the cracks sometimes, I think. And here, unfortunately, it’s Dash, although he really got the shot in the first film and it’s so great to see. Jack, Jack, step up to the plate. Love, Jack. Jack. All right. So then there’s, you know, the quality of the animation. So there’s so we just talked about the justification of the animation. Now let’s talk about the quality of it. And there’s one character in particular that blew my mind, and that’s evil endeavor voiced by Catherine Keener. The realism of this character’s movements, the nuance, the subtleties, the real the things that she did that real people do all the time. A lot of times Catherine Keener does them right. But you don’t see animated characters acting this way, even sitting this way. It’s crazy. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before in animation, in fact. And for the first time, I felt like an animated character was acting. It was so cool. It’s it’s a. Amazing, I mean, all the animation is good, but for some reason, this character really stood out. I’m still trying to figure out exactly why that is. I think part of it is the real world aspects to the character, you know, slouching, sitting, like, you know, all the all the flaws that real people have that are rarely present in animated characters who have excellent posture for the most part, or if they have or if they have bad posture, it’s exaggerated.
It’s not as realistically subtle as everyone’s bad posture. So good. Now, of course, though, there is a very strong assist from Keanna herself doing the voice work and all the voice work here is jaw droppingly good. Everyone’s acting their hearts out. And I on that note, you know, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to if I had to, it would be Holly Hunter, Bob Odenkirk, so good. And Tina, although while I was writing my notes, I thought about it and I was like, how can I not give Craig Nelson a shout out? Because, you know, it his voice is softer and warmer. So it’s not it’s not as immediately maybe as impressive or as fun as those other actors. But he has to portray such a roller coaster of emotion. He really is the MVP of the film acting wise. But it’s not just the voice work from the actors. It’s excellent. It’s the selection of the actors themselves. Really quirky casting. I love that. So the result is the quality of the voice work and then the choice of the actor. And the animation itself all together creates these really realistic characters with extreme depth.
It was again, I think it’s it’s a new level of animation. It’s it’s that’s something people should be talking about. And I hope that they do. But, you know, they haven’t been able to play up The Incredibles two so much because Disney has so many other movies to promote. But I hope that, you know, once maybe it is released and everybody gets a gander at this thing, people do talk about the leaps and bounds that have made here been made here in terms of the craft of animation. Wow, wow, wow, wow. I can’t wait to see this movie again.
Now, how for how is the story told while The Incredibles two goes above and beyond multiple times. In fact, I think the best example is one fight. I don’t want to give anything away. Don’t worry, non spoiler review. But there is one fight between the last girl and the screen saver that is so visually inventive that it actually almost took me out of the movie because I just couldn’t believe how good it was and the visual choices that were made. I was like, wow, I’m sorry. That’s the that’s the subtitle of this review. Wow. Wait till you see the castle, the opening of the movie. Oh, I don’t want to give anything away, but, you know, the Disney Castle, you know, they always redo it for four for each Disney movie these days. They outdid themselves. It was so good. Also, speaking of Disney style, I thought that it was really a nice touch. The opening of a new monorail. One of Helen’s first solo missions was very reminiscent of the famous Disneyland ceremony that that was really that was not only impressive, but very sweet. And then, of course, as I said, it’s so good to see old friends again. I’m delighted to tell you that Frozen has far more screen time here in and out of costume, but we still don’t get to see his wife. I know some of you might be like what you said, no spoilers, but she’s not there. You’ve all you’ve heard her one line already. I don’t want you to be disappointed.
I was a tad disappointed. Incredibles three. Let’s get Mrs Mrs Frozen out here already, although I don’t like the design they floated out for her, so maybe she was cut. And if that was the case, I think they they dodged a bullet there. I think that, I don’t, I don’t think that’s a good choice, which we will discuss if it ever does become the actual choice. But anyway, so I know this time Pixar does work much harder to create a more diverse world that these characters inhabit. But they’re still not all the way there yet as the diversity is mostly achieved with extras like that’s nice, but it’s all second, not secondary characters with few lines. Although the exchange between Frozen and someone Advtech was pretty awesome. For instance, void void did not need to be a white female character in a movie that’s already very heavy on white characters. You know, the Devers are white, The Incredibles are white, and then also a movie that I have to say tad heavy on feminism, dead heavy on the feminism, a little bit too much of a dollop of feminism. And I feel bad having to say anything at all. Not perfect about the movie, but it’s a little glitch, you know, because I think like, for instance, Evelin, again, not giving too much away. Evelynn is a huge feminist and not in a good way. So while these things are unfortunate, a little bit of a lack of diversity, that’s not necessary. And again, while it’s great that they up the extra diversity, it only calls more attention to the lack of diversity in the lead.
So, you know, it’s a double edged sword. I was going to say, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. But if they just made void a character of color and I think a guy, quite frankly, they would have solved all their problems. And also I would have toned down everyone’s feminism. I think it was just it was just a bit too much. But none of this derails again, a wow movie. Oh, wow. It’s a wow. What also helps you to to kind of dilute that that not so great stuff is the very real depiction of a modern family not just dealing with superhero issue. Hilarious, but also issues that all families face and also this was this in particular dialed down the feminism. I thought it was great that Mr. Incredible does have a hard time with his wife being the breadwinner. It’s a perfectly natural and relatable reaction. And they handled it very well here. And then it was great that to see him realize the importance of being a hero at home as well, that was like, oh, the feels. And they did it in a really organic way. And, you know, as the feminism was really like hitting you over the head with this stuff was delightfully subtle with Mr. Incredible. It was really, really. I was like, oh, I see what you did. That was beautiful. And then I saw Violet’s boy trouble.
Oh, the way they are, the way Bird was able to take that little, like little zinger at the end when she gets asked out on a date and just turn it into this whole subplot in this movie is amazing. It’s so good. And yeah, now her boy Trouble has a definite and hilarious superhero spin, but it also mirrors the problems that a lot of us have with dating. So it makes the situation even more hilarious and very, very relatable. That was excellent stuff. Now, speaking of family, the villains motivations also draw from that sector and introduce a surprisingly dark it very welcome undercurrent to the whole movie, actually, than they could have gone a bit darker. But again, this feels very much like a middle movie. So maybe they’ll maybe they’re ramping up to like a really dark third film. Now, I’m sure about this time or maybe even before this, some of you were like, that’s all great, great.
But what about Edner mode? What about Edner mode? Well, darling, of course she’s fabulous. But I said I don’t want to give too much away because we’ve already guessed most of the movie.
But she has two scenes, two scenes and they’re just as good as you, just as just as good as you would expect them to be. I still get a kick out of the fact that Brad Bird does her voice so good.
The man has so many talents, unfortunately, just not in live action movies, but he’s back where he belongs in animation. I would just I’d be like, oh, Bob, Brad, will you just sit here for a minute, Brad? And then I would just I would just chain him to the desk and be like, just keep making incredible movies forever, but we’ll feed you. I mean, how bad is it to be trapped inside the Disney animation building? Not too bad at all.
Now, I will again, as I’ve been saying throughout this review and hoping hoping so hard, this feels very much like a middle chapter. There is not a definitive ending. It feels like a transition to the next phase for Soopers and also for the incredible family. So I really do hope this means I’ll make a third film and sooner rather than later. Again, the siren call of live action is no longer no longer can be heard by Brad Bird. So I hope he is indeed here to stay and start, you know, start getting more out of this brand, Disney, because that clearly motivates you. They’re building an incredible poster at Disney’s California Adventure. More of that, more rides, more merch, more like a stage show. They have like an incredible dance party. I think sometimes more and more and more and more people are. I think especially after this movie, people are going to want to make purchases and have experiences. And near Disney, that’s what you specialize in providing, not just for these days, Marvel’s Star Wars and Disney princesses. Oh, I love this movie so much. I plan to see it several times in theaters and purchase it to help contribute to the bottom line that, as we know again, motivates Disney.
So that’s my review of The Incredibles two. I am totally fanning out over this movie, hard core, as you can see, and I’ll be having coverage about it all week. And you know, The Incredibles and Pixar know I’m excited to hear your thoughts about movie Downbelow. I know they’ve started to have some fan advance screenings, so don’t put any spoilers down there because again, there’s so little left to spoil. Save those comments for the spoiler review.
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