About a decade or so ago, Pixar was undoubtedly on top of
things as far as 3D animated projects went. Starting out with practically
inventing the medium with 1995’s Toy Story, they churned out classic after
classic for years. Each new Toy Story improved on the last, while others such
as Monsters INC really pushed the capabilities of their technology. Best of
all? Each film was smartly written as all hell, and arguably even more
enjoyable when viewed with an adult eye. I grew up with a lot of their films up
until Finding Nemo or so, and I’m happy to say that even when I make sure to
take the nostalgia glasses off, they’re still well done.
Incredibles is probably up there as one of Pixar’s crowning
achievements. Before Batman Begins and Iron Man reinvigorated the superhero
genre into the all-encompassing revenue-consuming monster it is now, that film
played a clever spin on it while filled with hilarious jokes about everything
from insurance companies to capes. The animation was crisp and vibrant, the
action exciting, and 14 years on, it holds up really well. Sure, it ended with
a hook of sorts, but for me personally, it was fine enough without another
instalment.
Pixar, however, hasn’t really been what it used to. A
combination of a lot of their best players migrating to Disney proper and
changing markets means that a lot of their more recent projects didn’t really make
that much impact on audiences. Do you remember much of The Good Dinosaur? You
know, that thing that was a thing? Or Cars 2: The Seach for Merch Money? Inside
Out however was a change of pace, and this made people hopeful for the suddenly
announced Incredibles 2.
Now that it’s here, with veteran animation director Brad
Bird in the saddle, was it worth the 14 year wait? Do we have a Cars 2, or a
Toy Story 3? The answer is…well, a mixed bag.
Picking up
right where the last film left off, the film focuses on the Parr family, or as
the public knows them, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash, and, er, Violet (the
latter I guess didn’t really get around to a codename). Bungling an attempt to
catch a supervillain, they end up forcibly reminded that the superhero ban in
the last film is in effect, and find themselves in the doldrums, eating takeout
in a motel. Soon, however, a seemingly friendly billionaire shows up to give
them a pickup—the catch being that Elastigirl is the forefront of the group, as
opposed to the focus Mr. Incredible had the last time around.
Right off the bat, one thing becomes apparent—the writing
isn’t as sharp or funny as last time, but the action has stepped up a notch.
It’s a tradeoff that may feel disappointing, but for spectacle, there’s
definitely fun to be had. The sixties aesthetic is rendered gorgeously here,
from vehicles to the architecture to the gadgets, and when the characters get
to show off their abilities, there’s a lot more creativity in their use and
application—be it using forcefields as wrecking balls, infinitely recursive
portals, and so on. There’s one very close quarters punch-up between Elastigirl
and a bad guy that’s all kinds of tense and invigorating, as the latter pulls
out every trick to keep her off his back—and mostly succeeds. In many way’s
it’s kinda superior in the asskickery department to a lot of live-action modern
superhero flicks.
But let’s get back to the writing. There’s not much on the
level of ‘No capes!’, and a lot of the cast spends a fair amount of the movie
sitting around going through domestic shenanigans. Some of which are funny,
some of which get kinda old. You also better like Jack-Jack, because the movie
sure as hell does. There’s also a bunch of new superheroes, most of him aren’t
developed much beyond their abilities, with the exception of Void, who becomes
a new foil for Elastigirl.
Likewise, the villain, apart from one rather creepy
monologue, isn’t that great or interesting as Syndrome in the last film, and
your first guess for the secret identity of this crook is likely going to be
correct, let’s just say. There’s also some mind control shenanigans that give
our heroes other superpowered opponents to contend with, but let’s also just
say that it takes a couple of said heroes forgetting their powers at some key
moments to work.
Still, it’s by no means a bad movie, and while I wouldn’t
put it on the level of the original overall, it’s fine and serviceable. Brad
Bird continues to prove that he’s a fine technical director, though according
to him the writing process wasn’t as long as he wanted it to be, and it shows.
It is, however, still better than some of Pixar’s other projects in the last
decade, and a lot of their characteristic care and attention to detail shines
through. Don’t expect a classic to mark the years like the first one, and
you’ll a decent experience.
Now Toy Story 4? That is
some unnecessary nonsense. Pixar definitely ain’t topping the last one there,
and though Incredibles has some room to continue, there’s definitely some
things left well nuff alone.
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