There was a moment in time when Disney could have bought Pixar for (cue Austin Powers’ nemesis Dr. Evil) for a million dollars. The Disney board at the time did not see the future, and clung to the ink and paper model for animation for another decade or so. Pixar was finally joined to the Disney corporate slate, and there has not been a more consistently successful slate of films in Hollywood.
“Incredibles 2” brings the Parr family of heroes to a new mission, with the twist that Dad must mind the household while his wife Elastagirl heads out to, what else…save the world.
What studios have discovered, taking Pixar’s early lead, is that animated films can work across demographic boundaries. For films like the original “Incredibles” to take in massive box office receipts, it is obvious the audience is just not kids. Families and couples are filling the seats. Like many of the previous Pixar films, the dialogue often works at two levels. The kids are chuckling where expected, and they are undoubtedly wrinkling their eyebrows when their parents are chuckling at other lines of dialogue. The original TV series “Rocky and Bullwinkle” used that bilevel approach, as has “The Simpsons” for many many seasons.
Here, Brad Bird (a veteran of “The Simpsons”) wrote and directed another great installment in the Pixar canon. Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter reprise their roles as the heroic parents, battling the bad guys while grappling with home life. Their kids strive to get into the action, and it is a tribute to the filmmakers that they allow each character’s attributes to shine and become part of the family’s cohesive whole.
When society wants to ban all superheroes, the family is given a chance to prove their mettle. New to the proceedings is the voice of Bob (“Better Call Saul”) Odenkirk as the fanboy who wants to see superheroes reinstated.
“Incredibles 2” is a delight for film lovers of all ages.
Recent Comments