#tldr i really couldn't have asked for a better sequel

[masteraqua]

so now that i’ve seen the incredibles 2 twice, it’s time to Talk

essay spoilers under the cut

first off: it’s a fantastic film, a wonderful follow up to my favorite pixar movie, and well worth the extended wait—i am ready and willing to fight anyone who says otherwise (you hear that, dumb facebook friend?)

second: the character of evelyn deavor is a hot mess. her motivations, while interesting on the surface, are all over the place and they don’t really..seem to...connect logically?

she’s cynical and convinced that society is too complacent and that has something to do with both digital screens AND superheroes? i could buy a villain being hung up on one of those things but why try to combine them? it’s just confusing

and also her plan? what even was it? what was she gonna do after she let all the supers under her control go? hope no one believes any of them when they went to the police? like.......i just don’t see how she could have possibly won given the circumstances SHE set up

i think pretty much everyone agrees that screenslaver’s identity is easy to figure out (and yeah, it is) but the people who are saying THAT makes her disappointing seem to be forgetting one thing:

SCREENSLAVER IS CREEPY AS ALL HELL

the scene in the apartment? oh my god i felt like i was watching a horror movie. the lighting and the sound design and the epilepsy-warning-boss-fight are downright terrifying for a family film. i haven’t felt this uncomfortable during a pixar production since i was five years old watching the first toy story movie (more on that later)

and that’s why i don’t care that i knew who the villain was the moment the movie introduced a character who doesn’t appear in the trailers; sheer style wins out over poor writing every time in my book (see: kingdom hearts) and i was sufficiently unnerved despite the character’s flaws

moving on

helen parr is the best character pixar has ever created and no one can tell me otherwise. it was such a gosh dang joy watching her in the lead role. from her realistic facial expressions to her sharp-witted personality to her insanely creative fighting style, she is just such a fun protagonist. i was grinning from ear to ear anytime she had the screen to herself

and this is despite the fact that she doesn’t even have a proper character arc!

i don’t care that she leaves the movie the same way she started, give me more of helen being an intelligent, unflinching badass

in other news, caitlin has a thing for lawful good girls and that is in no way relevant

oh yeah the rest of the family is great too. loved all the antics with bob taking care of the kids. it never got too sitcom-y and jack-jack stole the show

going back to that toy story comparison, pixar hasn’t released anything even remotely as uncomfortable and harsh as its first feature film in the last 20 years. until now.

like even aside from the minor cursing (speaking of which i was s h o o k when characters started casually throwing around ‘hell’ and ‘damned’ like this is the 80s or something), there’s a scene with helen and evelyn having a philosophical debate about the dangers of free enterprise. and a scene where helen is just. dying from lack of oxygen. no super powers, no achilles-heel weaknesses at play, just. slow, painful, morbid suffocation. oh my god.

and it all feels like a throwback to when children’s media was more abrasive and treated kids like tiny adults. if that’s gonna be a comeback trend, i’m not entirely sure how i feel about it, but at least for now i think it worked out spectacularly

have i covered everything?

uhhhhhh

oh! void was super cute

ok i think that’s it

no but seriously i would watch the hell out of an elastigirl show. preferably one featuring helen with a mohawk