INCREDIBLES 2 : Tuesday 19th June 2018.

'INCREDIBLES 2' which I saw in a packed out theatre earlier this week finally hits our big screens after a hiatus of fourteen years. Now comes the long awaited sequel to 2004's 'The Incredibles' - that highly praised computer animated Superhero film from Pixar that took US$633M at the global Box Office and picked up two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing, as well as the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature and the first entirely animated film to win the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Brad Bird wrote and Directed the first film, and it's no surprise that he reprises those two earlier roles for this second instalment, as do the majority of the principle voice cast. The film was released in the US last week too, cost US$200M to make and has so far raked in US$329M at the global Box Office, and has received generally favourable Reviews, with Critics praising the quality of the animation, and the sense of humour the film instills.

'Incredibles 2' takes off immediately where 'The Incredibles' finished, with the introduction of the mole like villain The Underminer (John Ratzenberger) attempting to rob the Metroville Bank, in which he is partially successful. His plans are however, thwarted by the Parr family on the spot, who with their combined super powers overcome the mole like mechanical digging machine and prevent a much bigger catastrophe. But alas, they are promptly arrested for causing too much damage to whole city blocks in the process. As a result, Agent Rick Dicker (Jonathan Banks) advises the Parr's that the 'Super Relocation' programme, of which the are a part, is being mothballed, forcing Supers, just like them, across the world to uphold their undercover identities for good, and to learn to adjust once and for all. There is nothing more that Dicker can do for them, except grant them temporary accommodation in a motel somewhere.

In the days that follow holed up in their motel room eating takeout and going stir crazy, Bob Parr, aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and wife Helen, aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) together with good friend Lucius Best, aka Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) are contacted by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) a big fan and advocate of Super heroes, who also happens to own a hugely successful telecommunications company named 'Devtech'. He plans a makeover of Supers to promote them in the best possible light so regaining public trust, admiration and support to overthrow governmental decisions around the globe to exile Supers.

Helen, is considered the least destructive of the Super family and the most level headed, and so she is chosen by Deavor for a publicity stunt to set the wheels in motion to begin regaining the confidence of the people. She is dispatched to New Urbem under her alter ego Elastigirl to openly fight crime on the streets wearing a camera to record her every move and those criminals halted in their tracks.

So Bob reluctantly has to play the stay at home Dad, offering to look after the kids Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner) and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile and Nicholas Bird) whilst Helen is out there being Super. During her time on the streets of New Urbem, she witnesses the launch of a new high speed rail system with the unveiling the subject of much pomp & ceremony. When the train is set to take its maiden journey, it slips into reverse and gradually accelerates away at a rapid rate of knots getting out of control very quickly. It's Elastigirl to the rescue and she successfully thwarts a disaster, with all the cameras flashing and her image beamed around the world on the news channels.

Deavor has meanwhile allowed the Parr's to reside in one of his luxury homes on the outskirts of town fitted out with all the mod-cons, gizmo's and gadgets to make their stay as comfortable as possible. During Helen's absence, Bob tries to settle into a routine with the kids, but comes to the realisation that baby Jack-Jack has super powers all of his own - a fact that he struggles with initially coming to terms with, and controlling, when these at first manifest themselves in various situations. This causes Bob numerous sleepless nights from which he is becoming increasingly agitated, temperamental and lacking in patience.

Seeking some support and solace from the very demanding Jack-Jack whose various super powers require almost constant monitoring, Bob goes to see Edna Mode (Brad Bird). A long time close family friend and Super costume designer, Edna is at first very reluctant to baby sit the young toddler, but soon comes round when she witnesses the little tykes powers for herself. In the meantime, Helen has uncovered the evil enemy behind the earlier train incident that caused the driver to fall into a catatonic state at the controls. Screenslaver (Bill Wise) is a mystery criminal who controls computer and television screens to project hypnotic imagery that almost instantly brainwashes those looking on.

In an incident involving a high ranking government official known as the Ambassador (Isabella Rossellini) who supports the legalisation of Supers, in which her fleet of helicopters is overtaken remotely by Screenslaver's nefarious antics. With Elastigirl to the rescue once more, Screenslaver is thwarted and unmasked only to reveal a humble pizza delivery lad who had no recollection of how he came to be. At a subsequent party at Devtech's HQ to celebrate Screenslaver's defeat, Helen siddles away into a separate room and looks at video footage filmed from her hidden suit camera. This reveals an anomaly in that the pizza delivery guy was being controlled by hypno-goggles. At this point Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener) the sister of Winston and the inventive one in the family reveals herself to be the Screenslaver, and forces a pair of hypno-goggles onto Helen, so controlling her.

Evelyn sees the Supers as a threat to all humanity and is Hell bent on seeing to it that the are never legalised. So she took it upon herself to sabotage her brothers mission and has plans to brainwash the leaders of the world by exposing them to her controlling hypnotic imagery so that they do not pass the legislation making Super's legal. Ultimately, both Bob and Lucius are coaxed into a trap and fitted each with hypno-goggles, so controlling them too. Meanwhile, various other Super's who have all come out of the woodwork thanks to Winston's PR campaign success and Elastigirl being in the news for all the right reasons, have also been subjected to Screenslaver's controlling powers.

Meanwhile, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack have all been suited and booted by Edna Mode with new super outfits. Keen to avoid the same fate as their parents, the three of them lurch to the rescue attempting to secretly board Deavor's luxury ocean going liner on which are gathered many world leaders for a hearing on reinstating the legality of the Supers. On board, the Screenslaver, who has Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and Frozone all under her control are forced to give a negative address to paint them negatively in front of the worlds watching media. However, the kids get in there soon afterwards  and free up Mum and Dad Parr and Frozone from those pesky controlling hypno-goggles, and a fight breaks out. As control of the luxury liner has been lost and it is on a collision course for New Urbem, its the dynamic trio once again to the rescue to prevent disaster. Mr. Incredible has to turn the giant rudder underwater to divert the ship, Frozone has to make a course of ice to prevent the ship from reaching land, and Elastigirl is off to capture Evelyn who thinks she's getting away. In the aftermath, Evelyn is arrested and carted away in the back of a patrol car, and Super's are legalised and legitimised, and the world is a better, safer place for it!

I enjoyed 'Incredibles 2', but not as much as the first instalment, but was it worth the fourteen year wait between instalments - yes definitely! The main characters are familiar now and maturing, and the role reversal between Helen and Bob gives rise to some moments of genuine humour, and in this time of the 'MeToo' movement seems aptly current and not out of place. What I did question however, was why give baby Jack-Jack seventeen different super powers when the rest of the family have to settle with just one or two each. Clearly little ol' Jack-Jack is something very special, and the world had better watch out when he grows up! The quality of the animation is top notch, creative and faultless with breathtaking scenes where the action ramps up, or it is seen simply in the level of detail in every frame. In this age of Marvel and DC Superhero movies bombarding our big screens several times every year, its great to see a refreshing grounded Superhero offering about the average family next door harbouring super powers aplenty while hiding in plain sight. Pixar have done it again, with another follow up to add to their already burgeoning canon of animated classics. A film for kids of all ages, young and young at heart!

This film is worthy of four claps of the clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-