Warning: the following contains spoilers for Incredibles 2.

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Incredibles 2 picks up where The Incredibles left off over a decade ago, both in terms of plot and style. In remaining true to the original, the sequel ignores many of the trends and trademarks that have developed in the last fourteen years; however, by embracing the ridiculous and light-hearted, Incredibles 2 sets itself apart from live-action superhero films; because it's an animated film, its retro superhero style is charming rather than tone deaf.

A lot has changed since the first Incredibles film arrived in theaters in 2004. At the time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just a twinkle in Kevin Feige's eye, and Christopher Nolan's revolutionary Dark Knight trilogy hadn't been released, much less the DCEU. The major superhero franchises of the time were Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man and the initial X-Men trilogy. Catwoman, starring Halle Berry, was released the same year as The Incredibles. In between the release of the Incredibles films, two separate Fantastic Four franchises have come and gone.

The failures of the live-action Fantastic Four, however, may give us some insight into the stylistic choices of both Incredibles films. While Mr. Fantastic's flexible limbs have never translated in live-action, Elastigirl's powers are central to a number of scenes in Incredibles 2, including an epic race to stop a speeding train. The over-the-top powers that seems silly in a live action film ends up being a dynamic and interesting power when removed to the world of animation. Similarly, the brightly-colored super suits, the super cars with rocket launchers, the brain-washing super goggles, and the host of superpowers Incredibles 2 use are ridiculously corny: if this was a live-action film, it would be so disparate from how audiences understand superhero films today that viewers would balk at it. However, as an animated film, Incredibles 2 is able to deliver on this over-the-top and retro superhero style. Surprisingly, because Incredibles chooses to embrace a classic superhero look, it stands out from many superhero films today.

Superhero Films Have Changed - But Incredibles Hasn't

Superhero films, perhaps beginning with Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins in 2005, began to explore a more serious side of masked heroes. Of course, films like The Dark Knight and Logan take a more stark approach than, say, Spiderman: Homecoming, but Marvel's films leading up to Infinity War have still done some acrobatics to convert their source material into something palatable for the big screen. Superhero characters often go by new names, with their super moniker coyly revealed, or in the case of some outdated characters, the "super" name is left off entirely: M'baku in Black Panther avoids the racially charged "Man-Ape". Supersuits are either re-imagined as stylized and sleek armor or in the case of Scarlet Witch, a trenchcoat and corset.

Even just between Marvel and DC, the number of superhero films has also dramatically increased. While there is an almost constant discussion of "superhero fatigue", neither franchise is planning to slow down any time soon. Instead of trying to address or engage with the numerous new films, however, Brad Bird opted to keep Incredibles 2 within the niche of the original film.

This means Incredibles 2 is family-centered, both in terms of audience and the focus on the super Parr family, but it also means the new film includes supers like Brick, a super strong masked man with a giant "B" on his belt invoking The Thing from Fantastic Four; Krusher, a man with a giant K on his spandex suit that crushes things but can't "un-crush" them; and Screech, a man who is dressed like an owl and can fly. Incredibles 2 doesn't have comic source material, and so Pixar could choose to include any superhero characters that they want. But if these character did exist in Marvel films, they would be adapted to seem more "believable", more relatable, and more reasonable. Screech would probably ditch the face paint and owl cowl for a supersuit more akin to Falcon in the MCU. Krusher would probably go by the name his parents gave him. Brick might not even make it into the film.

Page 2: Why the Incredibles Can Be Ridiculous

Why the Incredibles Can Be Ridiculous

Incredibles 2, much like the original film, chooses to embrace the superheroes that the MCU and DCEU left behind. They wear neon spandex, have zany physical and elemental powers, and fight villains with silly catchphrases. Since the Incredibles films seem to be set in a timeless alternate reality evoking the 50's or 60's or 70's, depending on who you ask, it already has a retro feel that blends nicely with its throwback superhero costumes and gadgets.

The two villains in Incredibles 2, the Underminer and Screenslaver (who turns out to be none other than Evelyn Deavor, or "Evil Endeavour") are pun-centric villains whose motivations hardly match their theatrics. They don't compare to Heath Ledger's Joker (or Jared Leto's Joker from Suicide Squad, or Cameron Monaghan's Jerome on Gotham) because they aren't trying to compare. Their motivations aren't trying to be more complicated than their witty monologuing. In the words of the Underminer:

Behold, the Underminer! I'm always beneath you, but nothing is beneath me! I hereby declare war on peace and happiness! Soon, all will tremble before me!

The Underminer isn't complex: he is literally a mole-man with jackhammer hands and a giant drill who has decided to rob a bank in one of the least effective ways possible. To his credit, he actually succeeds in escaping with the money and destroying a large part of the city in the process.

In a rare moment that could be a commentary on the numerous other superhero films on the market, Evelyn Deavor's Screen Slaver bemoans how superheroes have left ordinary people powerless — even at its most serious, Incredibles 2 can't pass up a pun. But Screen Slaver specifically critiques how people are glued to their screens watching heroes instead of being their own hero. Where the problem with screens ends and the problem with superheroes begins is difficult to tell, and Screen Slaver surprisingly seems to be calling the viewers of Incredibles 2 into question just as much as the everyday person in the world of the film. When Elastigirl finally bests Evelyn and she's taken away by the police, Evelyn sneers: "Just because you saved me doesn't mean I'm wrong." It calls into question whether or not Incredibles 2 pondering the existential nature of superhero films to desensitize audiences and uphold the status quo... or if the Screen Slaver was just too good of a pun to pass up.

Incredibles 2 offers a superhero film we wouldn't otherwise see, and because it's an animated film, its spandex and pun-laden silliness is an asset rather than a failure. Surprisingly, because the film embraces this nostalgic superhero style, it sets itself apart from the many superhero films of the past decade.

More: Incredibles 2: The Screen Slaver Has Really Clever Motivations

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