Starring Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Bob Odenkrik, Catherine Keener

Directed by Brad Bird

Pixar, out now

 

Superheroes are still outlawed, and following another costly incident, the Parrs are forced to go undercover again. But help comes in the form of the Deavor siblings, giving Elasigirl the chance to feel relevant again.

Picking up at the exact moment that The Incredibles finished (The Underminer appears to wreak havoc), Brad Bird’s belated sequel to the 2004 hit has been well worth the wait and in many ways is superior to the original. Probably 30-plus superhero and comic book movies have dominated the box office since The Incredibles, and yet Incredibles 2 can still find its place in this crowded market because it has a huge heart and something to say.

For the Parr parents Bob and Helen (Craig T Nelson and Holly Hunter both slipping seamlessly back into these roles) the hard part was never about flexing their superhero models, but about being good parents to Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack. It’s so relatable watching Bob struggling with household chores and being frustrated with Dash’s homework when really he just wants to be out there, protecting the world as Mr Incredible.

Winston and Evelyn Deaver (Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener) make for interesting new antagonists – they seem to good to be true, and once their back story has been established it’s pretty clear where things are headed… or is it? I also enjoyed the new team of superheroes assembled by the Deavors – they aren’t quite Deadpool’s X-Force, but include meat head Brick and Reflux, who literally spews bile at his victims!

One of the greatest advances since the original film is in the quality of the animation, from the additional shadow and sculpting in the characters to the sheer scale of the vistas and the frenetic pacing in the many action scenes. The whole thing bounces along to Michael Giacchino’s joyous, brassy John Barry Bond pastiche, building on the themes established back in 2004.

Verdict: Sheer, unadulterated joy. Beautifully rendered, exciting storytelling with something to say. It may have been a long wait, but quality outshines quantity every time, and this is another Pixar triumph. 10/10

Nick Joy