Directed by: Brad Bird
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Samuel L. Jackson
Rated PG, 118 minutes
Early in “Incredibles 2,” the long-awaited sequel to 2004’s “The Incredibles,” the central family of superheroes—Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson, “Coach”), his wife Elastigirl (Holly Hunter, “The Piano”), and their three kids—find themselves on unsure footing. Superheroes have been outlawed, meaning their very existence is at risk, and what’s more, their house has burned down (a result of events in the first movie). What are the superheroes to do?
That’s when they start wearing body cameras. The idea, presented to them by a wealthy entrepreneur, Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”), and his inventor sister, Evelyn (Catherine Keener, “Get Out”), is to improve the public perception of superheroes by showing people what actually goes on in the fight against the forces of evil. All anyone has seen up to this point is the damage and destruction that superheroes inevitably leave in their wake, so of course the press coverage has been bad. With the body cameras, people will be able to see just how hard superheroes are fighting for good.
This decision plunges “Incredibles 2” into more political territory than Pixar movies have dared to explore in the past, and the movie doesn’t shy away from these themes as it goes on. Other notable moments include a diatribe from the villain against the use of entertainment as a substitute for living, and the climax of the film, which takes place during the televised signing of a treaty intended to legalize the status of superheroes. Pixar has always made movies that were accessible for both kids and adults, but never have they released a film that touched on such heavy topics.
That’s not to say “Incredibles 2” lacks the goofy slapstick on which Pixar’s movies so often rely. If anything, “Incredibles 2” is stuffed with even more gags than its predecessor, all of which are executed with almost perfect precision. The jokes themselves are satisfying, even if they often repeat themselves, namely in the form of Jack-Jack, the baby of the family and a babbling bundle of energy with a dozen or more superpowers that come and go at random. “Incredibles 2” goes to the Jack-Jack well again and again throughout its two hours; luckily (and a little surprisingly), it’s a well that doesn’t seem to run dry.
While these jokes keep us engaged and allow the animators to show off what computer animation can do in 2018, it’s the movie’s dark and timely undertones that keep us guessing, drawing from and evoking numerous controversial issues that have come up over the last few years. It’s tempting to try to piece together an analogy: Maybe the use of body cameras is a comment on how the same technology has been used with police officers around the country in response to the killings of too many black men; maybe the criminalization of superheroes is meant as a pointed criticism of the discrimination against immigrants and the LGBT community.
What becomes evident as “Incredibles 2” moves along, though, is that the movie isn’t meant as a metaphor for anything. It’s simply a story that takes a fun premise and then makes an educated guess about what would happen next, using the example set by recent American history. If superheroes really did exist, and lived among us like everyone else, you could rely on the mob mentality of the millions to stoke up needless outrage and fear.
The most incredible part of “Incredibles 2,” then, is that their plan works. Elastigirl saves a runaway train, her camera recording the whole thing, and the public attitude toward superheroes changes, transforming overnight from one of fear to one of gratitude.
While all the superpowers showcased here make for an exciting fantasy, the more tantalizing one is that of living in a world where facts are given credence, where video evidence seals the deal, where truth is a constant and not painted as an argument poisoned with ulterior motives. “Incredibles 2” inhabits that fantasy so completely that the central villain’s ultimate goal comes across as understandable, even humane; there is no such thing as good versus evil in the movie’s universe, only a difference in priorities. Lasting peace may be a pipe dream, but cruelty and willful ignorance don’t have to stand in its place.
Originally published in The Harvard Press on 6/22/18.