Incredibles 2 Blu-ray Review: Super Family Action!

By: Lynn Barker

Crime fighting vs. problems at home is the theme in Incredibles 2. Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible, voice of Craig T. Nelson) has to stay home care for the kids, Dash (voice of Huck Milner) and Violet (Sarah Vowell) while managing baby Jack Jack’s impressive new superpowers. Wife Helen (Elastigirl, voice of Holly Hunter) is picked to return to work fighting villains to spearhead a campaign to regain public trust in “Supers” since they have been outlawed. Can this arrangement possibly work?

Incredibles 2 Clip - "Cookie"

Looking for Home

The family is out in the cold when teen Violet’s would-be boyfriend Tony (Michael Bird) gets his memory of Violet wiped by Superhero Protection Program operative Rick Dicker (Jonathan Banks) because he saw Violet and family in their Incredibles costumes fighting baddie the Underminer. They do a lot of damage in their effort to stop the villain from robbing Metroville Bank so Dicker tells the family that his department’s “Super Relocation” program is being shut down and the undercover family of Incredibles will be homeless in two weeks!

The family fighting crime in the city

Publicity Stunts

Helen and Bob, along with pal Lucius Best/Frozone (Sam Jackson) are contacted by Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), a superhero fan and telecommunications tycoon, along with his techy sis Evelyn (Catherine Keener). They propose some publicity stunts that will gain back the public’s support of “Supers”. Elastigirl, whose powers are considered the least destructive, is chosen for this “mission”.  Bob feels a little insulted that, as the strongest Super, he wasn’t picked.

Helen/Elastigirl is off to workCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Meanwhile at Home

Elastigirl agrees so Winston gives the family a fancy new home and Bob has to offer to take care of the kids while Helen is on her mission. Like a fish out of water, Bob has trouble wrangling all the kids and dealing with their problems. A big one is the discovery that Jack Jack has multiple superpowers! Violet is stood up for a planned date by Tony (who doesn’t remember their relationship) and is devastated. When Elastigirl/Helen saves a hover-train and its passengers from disaster, she is hailed by the press. Bob is glad but jealous.

Violet likes TonyCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

The Screenslaver

Bob takes multi-powered Jack Jack to Edna Mode (Brad Bird), family friend and superhero costume designer to have her create a protective and controllable suit for the baby. Meanwhile, Elastigirl goes up against Screenslaver, a mystery baddie who hijacks TV and other screens to project hypnotic messages that brainwash civilians and Supers. She rescues an ambassador from his clutches and defeats him only to learn that he was just a pizza delivery boy who doesn’t remember being Screenslaver.

Villain Screensaver appears on TVCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

End Result?

Bob’s attempts to reunite Violet and Tony fail and the real Screenslaver villain captures Elastigirl on Deavor’s huge hover-yacht now headed to ram into the city. The Incredibles plus Voyd (Sophia Bush) and some other newbie Supers, have to come to the rescue. Will they stop Screenslaver? Will the Supers again be legalized? Will Violet win back a clueless Tony? Will Jack Jack destroy the world?

The Parrs and Frozone meet with the DeavorsCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Special Extra Features

Extras appear on a Bonus disc in this set. They are all quite fun, very complete and good to collect.

• 10 Deleted Scenes all complete the story. Most are in raw storyboard form introduced by Director Brad Bird
• Heroes and Villains are short character featurettes with comments by the animators and the voice actors. Edna Mode, the Parr kids, Frozone, Winston and Evelyn Deavor and the new Wannabe heroes are included. Nice.

Elastigirl meets with Newbie SuperheroesCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

• Superbaby Music Video lets the rapping girls from Bizardvark lead us through Pixar where the animators give us a tour…in rhyme! Impressive. You also get the actual music video on this set.
• Strong Coffee: A Lesson in Animation with Brad Bird is a great bio piece on animation Director Brad Bird who informs us about his childhood fascination with animation through his being mentored by famous old school (2D) Disney animators etc.  Really a great portrait of the man and his work. Loved it.

Director Brad Bird with Jack JackCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

• Super Stuff provides more “making of” info about designing and building the 1960’s-style world of “The Incredibles” this time around. You understand the style of the film in detail.
• Two Short Films are Bao, the sweet film featuring an empty nest mom creating a new “child” out of a Chinese bun which accompanied Incredibles 2 in theaters and the new short Auntie Edna featuring designer Edna Mode who volunteers to babysit Jack Jack in order to catalogue his many emerging super powers. Of course he wrecks her design studio before she can finish a super suit to protect him….and those around him. Very, very cute!

Auntie Edna learns Jack Jack's duplication powerCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

• Super Scene Breakdown features the all girl animation team who worked on Elastigirl talking about Helen’s feelings, difficulties in animation etc. Again…interesting.
• The Coolest Guy in Show Business is what they call Samuel L. Jackson, the actor voicing Frozone. He tells us how his limited childhood and a love for comics led him to enjoying animation etc.  Cool!
• Audio Commentary has Director Brad Bird introducing his main animators and letting them talk about the movie. They do reveal some nice tidbits.

Bob has trouble managing baby Jack JackCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Wrapping Up

The Incredibles 2 Blu-ray/DVD/Digital set is chocked full of special extras as is common with Disney/Pixar home entertainment animation offerings. All are at least interesting if not fun. I enjoyed the rap and tour by the Bizardvark girls and liked the “Strong Coffee” bio featurette all about Director Brad Bird whom I’ve admired since way back in his The Iron Giant days. The Edna Mode short film featuring baby Jack Jack is uber-cute and it’s nice to have Bao back as well.

Bao comes to lifeCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Overall, the return of the Incredibles after 14 years is a success. Action sequences are worthy of a good live-action superhero film and scenes like baby Jack Jack (who steals the film) fighting a wild and wacky thieving raccoon, really bring the needed comedy element. The early James Bond era style musical score (by Michael Giacchino) really adds to enjoyment, especially the individual theme songs for the major super characters.

Bob Parr has to be "Mr. Mom"Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

A lot of the plot is something we’ve seen before. For example a “Mr. Mom” having suddenly to be the stay-at-home dad and a villain who uses screens to hypnotize victims into obeying but teens will relate to Violet’s anguish at being stood up for a date).

The Incredibles 2 home entertainment package is well worth collecting or gifting for the upcoming holidays. We go four stars.

Incredibles 2 Blu-ray Rating: 

Incredibles 2 Blu-ray CoverCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Buy Incredibles 2 Blu-ray/DVD/Digital set starting Tuesday, November 6th

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