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Created Jun 30, 2018 03:31PM PST • Edited Sep 09, 2018 12:52AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Really Great 4.5

   Incredibles 2 is tremendously entertaining for young and old alike, albeit not incredibly entertaining. Coming after a decade in which superhero movies have ruled the multiplexes, it so gets Supers, as those id-like people are called in the movie, just as it so gets real people: moms, dads, kids. In short, it’s primo Pixar.

   Hmm, Pixar does action figures? No wonder it comes across as the Toy Story of superhero movies, using figments of a childish zeitgeist to explore the human condition as we experience it now, with more than a little silliness and comedy thrown in. About that latter, it’s very funny, with many LOLs to light the way.

   As seen in the widely promoted trailer, the plot this time has Mr. Incredible taking a professional back seat to his wife, Elastigirl. Ironically, this gives him more screen-time than her, since the bulk of the drama and most of the comedy happens on the home-front. He also communes solo with Brad Bird’s brilliant Edna Mode in a scene of perfect drollery. Incredibles 2 hits its peak in these resonant touches of real humanity.

   The Incredibles was a first love and Pixar legend, and yet Incredibles 2 doesn’t fall far behind. Marvelous!

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   The short before (Bao) is full of black humor, deep psychological insight and clever filmic slight of hand.

4. Acting

   Perfect 5.0

   Holly Hunter & Craig T. Nelson are incredibly perfect once again as as Helen & Bob Parr, aka Elastigirl & Mr. Incredible, mom & dad to Sarah Vowell’s Violet, Huck Milner’s Dash and Eli Fucile’s Jack-Jack.

   • Samuel L. Jackson is nails as Lucius Best aka Frozone.
   • Bob Odenkirk brings the right energy to Winston Deavor, superhero fan and really rich guy.
   • Catherine Keener brings a Lauren Bacall like cool to tech genius Evelyn Deavor, Winston’s sister.
   • Nicholas Bird provides the vocal effects of Jack-Jack’s monster form.
   • Brad Bird voices faux fashion icon Edna Mode, based on legendary costume designer Edith Head.
   • Jonathan Banks as Rick Dicker
   • Sophia Bush voices Karen / Voyd, a young Elastigirl fan who aspires to be a true superhero
   • Phil LaMarr as Krushauer and He-Lectrix, two Supers who aspire to be true superheroes.
   • Paul Eiding as Reflux, an elderly Super who has the power of heaving hot lava.
   • Isabella Rossellini voices The Ambassador, a dignified foreign official.
   • Bill Wise as Screenslaver / Pizza Guy
   • John Ratzenberger as The Underminer
   • Kimberly Adair Clark gets off one great line as Honey Best, Frozone’s wife.

5. Male Stars Perfect 5.0

6. Female Stars Perfect 5.0

7. Female Costars Perfect 5.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Really Great 4.5

    All hail Brad Bird, who is back to what he does best: writing and directing Pixar movies in general and The Incredibles in particular. Heck, he even brilliantly voices a role, that of worldly costume designer Edna Mode. After Bird’s disappointing forays into live action and grownup fare, such as Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, let’s hope he’s home for good.

11. Direction Really Great 4.5

12. Play Really Great 4.5

13. Music Perfect 5.0

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.4

17. Sex Innocent 1.2

18. Violence Fierce 1.7

19. Rudeness Polite 1.3

21. Reality

    Fantasy 4.3

22. Circumstantial Surreal 3.0

23. Biological Fantasy 5.0

24. Physical Fantasy 5.0