Archives for June 27, 2018

Elastigirl springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible faces his greatest challenge yet — taking care of the problems of his three children. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Calista B. comments, “Fourteen years after the first film was released, we finally have the continuation of the Pixar animated hit and I would dare say, every year of waiting was worth it because this film is truly incredible.” Sahiba K. adds, “Although bound to be compared to the original, Incredibles 2 creates a legacy and masterpiece in itself with a myriad of creativity and uniqueness. The story takes me back to my childhood and into the future with the retro, but futuristic feel created by integrating new superhero technology and vintage technology.” Rohan F. wraps it up with, “The Incredibles 2 is a great sequel to an amazing movie. The animation is brilliant, plus, the two main plots balance out well to create a well-rounded film.” See their full reviews below.

Incredibles 2

By Calista B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 14

Fourteen years after the first film was released, we finally have the continuation of the Pixar animated hit and I would dare say, every year of waiting was worth it because this film is truly incredible.

The story follows the Parr Family, as it looks like being superheroes (Supers) is against the law, but then an opportunity for Elastigirl to change people’s view of Supers occurs, while Mr. Incredible stays at home with the kids.

I always talk about the animation first, so let’s do that. The animation in the first movie was pretty good by 2004 standards. What I find interesting is that this movie looks really similar to the first. It feels as if it’s the same animation, just updated. That isn’t a bad thing. In fact, I actually like it. I love how you can actually see such small details such as the fabric textures on the clothes. You can see the sleep deprivation on the characters’ faces and not just in bags under the eyes. I really like seeing all these details.

Since the main characters are all superheroes, there’s lots of action. I feel like this movie is really creative with all the different powers, particularly those for Violet and Elastigirl. There’s lots of cool stuff they do with Violet’s force fields and Elastigirl’s stretching. They also introduce a group of new Supers who are very creative. From the design, to the powers, I think the group is a cool addition to the story.

Of course the elephant in the room is Jack-Jack. In the first movie, they show that Jack-Jack has powers. They never specify what powers he has. An important plot point in the movie is about Jack-Jack’s powers. However, now I’m even more confused. Off the top of my head, he has 11 powers and I may have forgotten some. The movie also has slight implications that this isn’t normal and now I’m incredibly curious. Hopefully it won’t take 14 years for an answer. Yes, I am ready for Incredibles 3!

This movie also excels in character development. Since the typical parent roles are switched, with the mom working and the dad staying at home watching the kids, it very subtly shows off both Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl’s character and motivations. It genuinely feels like a continuation, as it does address Mr. Incredible’s desire to be a superhero again. It also shows how raising a family is team work.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, as the movie is kind of dark at times. The movie opens in theaters June 15m 2018 so check it out!

Incredibles 2

By Sahiba K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 16

Incredibles 2, directed by the legendary Brad Bird is a timeless classic that has been reborn fourteen years after The Incredibles! Although bound to be compared to the original, Incredibles 2 creates a legacy and masterpiece in itself with a myriad of creativity and uniqueness. The story takes me back to my childhood and into the future with the retro, but futuristic feel created by integrating new superhero technology and vintage technology.

The story picks off from where the Incredibles ends, when the Underminer threatens the city and superheroes are still illegal. To try and bring the superheroes back into business, a rich entrepreneur by the name of Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) enlists the help of Helen Parr, also known as Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) to win the people’s hearts once again. Bob Parr, also known as Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) stays at home to take care of his three super children.

The same voice actors play the same characters in The Incredibles and Incredibles 2 except Dash Parr, played by Huck Milner. It made me feel as though no time has passed since I was a young child watching The Incredibles. When I was watching this film, I didn’t realize the actor was different for Dash. He has the same childish innocence and humor in his voice, as well as Dash’s famous sarcasm. Due to the fact that the same cast plays the same characters fourteen years later, Craig T. Nelson’s voice is more raspy, but it adds an element that elevates Bob Parr’s character. Bob is a lot more exhausted throughout the film and the raspy addition makes the character feel realistic and relatable.

The animation uses many of the features from the first film, while adding new perspectives and elements of modern filmmaking. The animated camera angles are a special component. During a variety of fight scenes and other relaxed scenes, the perspective switches from third person to first person quite often. This engaged me as a viewer and adds to the intensity and excitement of a superhero chase and being in a world with superheroes. The fight scenes are memorable with each one becoming better and more innovative than the last. The director, Brad Bird makes sure each of the superhero’s powers are used to the best of their ability. For example, Elastigirl acquires a new motorbike that can split apart while she provides the bridge keeping it intact, allowing for easy mobility in difficult situations.

The message of this film is that parents are heroes, whether or not they wear super suits. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18. Be sure to check out this long-awaited sequel in theatres nationwide June 15, 2018.

The Incredibles 2

By Rohan F., Age thirteen, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

The Incredibles 2 is a great sequel to an amazing movie. The animation is brilliant, plus, the two main plots balance out well to create a well-rounded film.

The Incredibles 2 continues the story of the Parrs, a superhero family that had to go into hiding because of a law banning supers. This film focuses on Elastigirl as she tries to end the anti-super laws that stop her from being a superhero. Meanwhile, Mr. Incredible struggles to keep the kids in check.

My favorite part is when Jack-Jack uses his powers to fight a raccoon because he thinks it’s a criminal. This scene is hilarious. I really enjoyed how Mr. Incredible is sleeping in the foreground, while all the action happens in the back. I also like the scene when Elastigirl chases after the new hover train. This scene is fast-paced and funny.

The animation in this film is great. I specifically like the glass breaking, the water features of the house and Frozone’s ice. The glass and the water are both super realistic and I really like how they kept the same style as the original film for Frozone’s ice. I felt they underused Dash in this film though. His only part in this film is needing help with math. I feel this wastes Dash, because I really enjoy him as a character.

The Incredibles 2 has some very topical morals in it. It asks the question of whether a law should be followed if it is unlawful. It also focuses on the concept of “when enough people have the same idea and they fight for it, that things will change”.

The voice acting is quite good. You can hear the emotion in the actors’ voices, so you can really connect with their characters. The music in this film is truly brilliant. They wrote theme songs for Frozone, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl that are written like 60s superhero themes. These are scattered around the movie and really make a major comedic effect.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars because, while it’s not as good as the original, it is still an incredible film. I recommend it for ages 7 through 18 because it’s really a film a huge variety of different people will enjoy. I believe adults will really enjoy watching this film as well. It opens in theaters nationwide June 15, 2018 so, check it out.

Credit: KIDS FIRST!