As the cast reminds us in a brief clip before the movie starts, it’s been 14 years since the The Incredibles hit theaters. While not nearly as good as the original, Incredibles 2 is not terrible, which is a notable achievement for a sequel.

The visuals have the Pixar look and polish that we’ve come to expect, but they don’t push the envelope much. Pixar has always done quality work in this department, and maybe they’re a victim of their own success. They’ve set the bar pretty high, so a Pixar movie that doesn’t look any better than you’d expect is still a fine looking film.

Holly Hunter and Craig T. Nelson in Incredibles 2. IMDb.com

The story is nothing special. It has a couple wrinkles, but, for the most part, is a by-the-numbers super hero movie. It’s pretty easy to guess who the villain is, and there are no real surprises as the plot unfolds. While nothing in the film is bust-a-gut funny, there’s enough witty banter and sufficient sight gags to keep the audience entertained. I was happy to see the stale “Mom goes to work while Dad falls apart at home” trope somewhat subverted. Mr. Incredible does, indeed, have a rough time of it at first, but, unlike so many buffoonish and incompetent fathers portrayed in the media over the last few decades, he gets his stuff together and ultimately succeeds in handling various household crises. Continue reading →