When The Incredibles first came out over a decade ago they were pretty much the big superhero ticket at the time. There was the occasional DC hero here and there, but this family was a big deal. Now the big screen is filled with all kinds of beings filled with powers everywhere.
We pick up where we left off, superheros are banned and the family id performing acts of good from underground. That all changes when once act of heroics puts them in the spotlight. Luckily for them a modern day mogul would like to get laws changed and superheros legal again, with the help of our heros.
After a bit of risk analysis Elastigirl is chosen as the best hero to try and work with as it seems her acts of good do the least amount of damage. This brings us to the change in the world and the film. We now split into two story lines. We follow our female hero as she chases the standard evildoer Screenslaver who hypnotizes people through video screens to get them to do whatever he likes; and the perils of the stay at home dad as he deals with the three kids.
This is where the movie falls apart for me. I was hoping for an animated superhero movie, perhaps along the line of the family Avengers. What I got was an out of the can standard hero chases villain, hero thwarts villain, small twist with hero in peril, hero triumphs with assistance of others (Extra sad is the fact that the first film kind of made fun of movies like this with its villain). That was accompanied with a subplot of a superhero being Mr. Mom; badly.
I get the desire to have the female lead hero, and I’m cool with that. I get the twist they used and I’m cool with that. However if you want to break the lead male hero stereotype, then don’t make the dad can’t handle being at home with the kids one. Like all films like this dad overcomes his issues, but it irks me to see you break one while reinforcing another. Also when I go to see a superhero movie, give me one. I don’t need to watch the perils of teenage dating, new math, and dealing with a rambunctious baby.
If they make a third I hope it is more about the family fighting crime together and working as a team (as I had hoped this one would be) and less about strange undertones wrapped around a long played out standard superhero plotline.