The Animated Addict: The Incredibles 2 (2018)

I'm going to say up front that this is one animated film that I was super looking forward to watching and reviewing, since I loved the first one... but you know what they say about getting what you wish for...

After being arrested for a battle with The Underminer, the Parrs face a return to a mundane existence... until Winston Deavor approaches them with a plan to make "supers" legal again.

While Helen returns to duty as Elastigal, Bob adjusts to "normal" life as a father... with superpowered kids...

The first movie gained my affection from how it dealt with the family aspect of the story, and the second one only reinforced that affection. While the superheroics are cool, it's the story of the family coming dealing with things as a family that really drives the story. It's a great way to subvert the genre. I was worried that this plot would rely heavily on the trope of Bob being an incompetent father just to get a laugh, but this movie did a great job subverting that trope as well.

As expected, the characters are as fun, engaging, and likable as they were in the first movie, while also showing growth as well. From the starting battle with the Underminer to the final scene, you can't help but root for them. I also loved how each member of the family got a bit more time to shine than in the previous film... though I was disappointed that Frozone was more of a dues ex machima than a more rounded character in this one.

Loved the voice acting. They all really brought the same depth, charm, and wit to their characters as they did in the original movie.

While the movie is certainly more about the characters than the superheroics, I can't deny that the action sequences were stupendous. The battle with Underminer at the start, and the sequence with the helicopter were especially amazing. Just great animation, lighting, camera work, etc- just... incredible.

But, as I should've been careful what I wished for... because now I'm worried. Where can the story and characters go from here? How can they top "The Incredibles 2"? Will we have to wait another 14 years for a third movie?

We'll just have to wait and see, I guess. In the mean time, I'm putting it in "The Good"!

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