‘Incredibles 2’: Here’s What the Critics Are Saying

With only a few days until Disney and Pixar’s Incredibles 2 hits theaters, the embargo for reviews of the film has been lifted, and fans are finally getting to see what the critics thought.

So far, the majority of critics are glowing about Brad Bird‘s Incredibles 2, which arrives nearly 14 years after the original movie. Some are saying that the new installment is just as good, if not better than the first. Others may not think it outdoes Bird’s original Incredibles movie, but they still feel like the film is a worthy sequel that fans are sure to enjoy.

At the time of writing this article, there has only been one negative review of the film to show up on Rotten Tomatoes, giving Incredibles 2 an astounding 97% score on the Tomatometer.

So what is it these critics all loved about Incredibles 2? Here’s what they had to say:

Forbes

Forbes reviewer Scott Mendelson said that Incredibles 2 had its work cut out for it, trying to follow up a movie as good as the first installment. However, despite the high bar, he claims that the movie rises to the occasion. 

“So, it is to my pleasant surprise, nay overjoyed shock, to report that Incredibles 2 is both a dynamite action-comedy and different enough from both its predecessor and the last 13 years of superhero flicks to stand apart from the crowd. It is a funny, thoughtful, and thrilling adventure that artistically justifies itself without invalidating what came before. In terms of pure nuts-and-bolts, it is probably the best animated action movie ever made.”

You can read the full Forbes review here.

USA Today

On the flip-side, USA Today said that Incredibles 2 didn’t quite live up to the magic of the first film, but that it was still worth the 14-year wait.

“Living up to Pixar’s masterful The Incredibles is a tough task, considering that it’s the storied animation studio’s best movie. Still, 14 years later, the superhero sequel makes a Herculean effort, putting the spotlight on a mother taking charge of her life and one seriously sleep-deprived dad.”

You can read the full USA Today review here.

Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair’s review claims that Incredibles 2 does lean a little bit on the success of Brad Bird’s first film in the franchise. However, despite the familiarity, the movie still stands out in today’s superhero landscape.

“So why mess with success? Why even risk the awkward growth spurts of setting the sequel 14 years after the first film? Bird takes no such chances, instead picking up with Mr. Incredible, his wife Elastigirl, and their children Violet, Dash, and baby Jack-Jack near immediately, as they attempt to thwart a mole-like villain called the Underminer, introduced at the end of the first film. This opening sequence is a stunning testament to Bird’s uncanny spatial awareness, his playful understanding of physics. As the family barrels after this villain, catching a runaway monorail in the process, Incredibles 2 amuses and genuinely thrills; Bird likes to have serious fun, never sacrificing the awesomeness of an action sequence’s dizzying intensity to land a wry or softening joke.”

Read the full Vanity Fair review here.

The Young Folks

Jon Negroni, well-known for creating The Pixar Theory, said that Incredibles 2 found a way to add to the legacy of Bird’s original film.

“Interestingly, Incredibles 2 shoots for no such goals, making it somewhat lesser than its predecessor. If anything, Pixar’s latest film feels like the second episode of a strong TV pilot, expanding the world of the franchise a bit, but not setting any compelling stakes that stand on their own.”

You can read the full Young Folks review here.

Collider

Collider’s Matt Goldberg had plenty of praise for Incredibles 2, calling it one of Pixar’s best sequels.

“Thankfully, Brad Bird’s Incredibles 2 rises above the forgettable and the mediocre to be one of Pixar’s finest sequels. While it never quite reaches the heights of the 2004 original, there’s plenty to love in the new installment as Bird breaks his story in half—one following Elastigirl/Helen Parr (Holly Hunter) as she attempts to restore the good name of the Supers, and Mr. Incredible/Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) stays home and tries to raise the kids. Both stories are endearing, and yet it’s Bob’s story that packs more of a wallop.”

Read the full Collider review here.

Gamespot

Like most of these other reviews, Gamespot’s Michael Rougeau said that Incredibles 2 was a continuation of the franchise’s successes.

“Fourteen years is a long time to wait for a sequel, but The Incredibles has one huge advantage: Being animated, Incredibles 2 isn’t tied down by the advancing age of the franchise’s actors, like other long-awaited sequels, from Star Wars to Blade Runner. That lets Incredibles 2 pick up right where the original ended, and after a brief cold open, it’ll be like you never left this vibrant, superhero-filled world.”

Read the full Gamespot review here.

Variety

One of the only negative reviews of Incredibles 2 comes from Variety. Owen Geliberman says the movie is fun, but doesn’t come close to reaching the heights of the first film.

“That’s a lot to live up to, and I wish I could say that Incredibles 2, which Bird also wrote and directed, is the great sequel The Incredibles deserves. It is not. It’s got a touch of the first film’s let’s-try-it-on spirit, and it’s a perfectly snappy and chucklesome and heartfelt entertainment, with little retro felicities you latch onto, yet something is missing: the thrill of discovery — the crucial sensation that the movie is taking us someplace we haven’t been.

You can read the full Variety review here.