‘Incredibles 2’ is fun, action-packed and worth the wait

    Believe it or not, 2004 was 14 years ago. I know, math, right? But that means it’s been almost a decade and a half since the original “Incredibles” was released in theaters. I loved it when I saw it in college, reveling in the bygone design and old-school comic book-feel of the world that writer/director Brad Bird had created. Then we waited. And waited. And forgot. Then remembered. Then probably forgot again. Then Disney/Pixar announced “Incredibles 2” was coming. And we got excited again.
    The sequel picks up directly where the first ended. The Underminer has attacked the city and the Parr family of superheroes — Mr. Incredible, Elasta-Girl, their two kids, Dash and Violet (and baby Jack-Jack in tow) — leap into action. Try as they might to thwart the evil mole-man, he escapes, and the Supers are to blame for countless dollars in damages to the city.
    Forced to relocate again, Bob (Craig T. Nelson) and Helen (Holly Hunter) question their next move. They’re both tired of living in secret and feel the world needs superheroes again. Their friend, Lucius (Samuel L. Jackson), a.k.a. Frozone, has been approached by a man named Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk, “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul”) who wants to work with them to legalize superheroes once again. Along with his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener, “40 Year Old Virgin,” “Get Out”), they want to equip them with body cameras so the world can see their good deeds in real time, not just the outcomes, and reframe the public perception of superheroes. Elasta-Girl is picked to spearhead the new movement, leaving Bob to be the stay-at-home-parent for the first time.
    Things… don’t go great. Violet is having boy trouble. Dash has to learn new math (“What was wrong with old math?!”), and the baby Jack-Jack is starting to manifest powers. Like many, many powers, plural. And man, is it hilarious. There’s a bit with a raccoon that just killed me. Meanwhile, Elasta-Girl works to thwart a new villain called Screenslaver who hypnotizes people through screens. When she saves an ambassador from an attack, they move forward with their plans to legalize superheroes. But something still nags at Elasta-Girl.

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