Action Adventure

‘Incredibles 2’ Ultra HD Review: Disney Pixar’s Latest is an Incredible Experience on 4K

November 23, 2018Ben MK



FEATURE: 
Picking up immediately after the events of the original, Incredibles 2 finds everyone's favorite superhero family facing a mysterious new villain who goes by the name Screenslaver, as well as new challenges that will test their resolve as a family unit. Superheroes — or "Supers" — are still outlawed, and as the opening showdown that pits Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, aka Bob and Helen Parr (Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter), and their kids, Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Dash (Huck Milner), against the Underminer (John Ratzenberger) shows, the authorities aren't too fond of the collateral damage caused when Supers try to restore law and order to their fair city.

Enter Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), a forward-thinking business mogul who wants to help remedy that situation. His plan? To recruit Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and their friend Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) to fight crime and generate some positive PR for themselves and their fellow heroes in the process. Working alongside his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener), a tech wiz who's developed nifty new costumes and some cutting-edge, new gadgets for our heroes to bring with them into battle, Winston believes that public opinion about Supers could be swayed in their favor, if only the public were to see things from the Supers' point of view.

Returning as writer and director, Brad Bird reminds us why he's considered to be one of the most gifted storytellers in Hollywood. Sure, he may have taken a break from making such animated films as The Iron Giant and Ratatouille to helm the fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, but Bird hasn't forgotten that no matter what type of movie you're making, story always takes precedence. Incredibles 2 may be a glossy superhero adventure, but like its predecessor, it's first and foremost about family, and Bird communicates that notion wonderfully throughout the film, doing so in ways that neither feel clichéd nor heavy-handed.

Of course, that's not to say that this sequel doesn't benefit from Bird's forays into live-action filmmaking. On the contrary, watching Incredibles 2 is like watching the best of both worlds. This is a movie that marries the unbridled creative potential of working in the animation genre with the sensibilities of a live-action spectacle. And with results that are just as thrilling as they are charming, it will leave fans of all ages both breathless and delighted.

AUDIO & VISUALS: 
Incredibles 2 looks nothing short of super on 4K, boasting a pixel-perfect, razor-sharp and vibrant 2160p transfer that's guaranteed to drop jaws, from the HDR color palette that makes the Parr family's Edna Mode-designed red, black and yellow superhero costumes pop like never before, to the insane level of visual detail that emphasizes just how far computer animation has come since 2004, when the first film was released. Add to that a stirring Dolby Atmos sound mix, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better looking, better sounding 4K release out there.

EXTRAS: 
Disney's three-disc "Ultimate Collector's Edition" includes an iTunes digital copy and a Blu-ray copy of the film. There are no special features on the 4K disc, but the following extras can be found spread across the other two Blu-rays in the set:

  • Bao (7:41) - The short that preceded the film in theatres.
  • Auntie Edna (5:08) - An all-new animated short starring Edna Mode and baby Jack-Jack.
  • Strong Coffee: A Lesson in Animation with Brad Bird (18:50) - Writer/Director Brad Bird talks about his career inspirations and the crew talk about what it's like working with him.
  • Feature Commentary - Animation Supervisors Dave Mullins, Alan Barillaro and Tony Fucile and Animation Second Unit and Crowds Supervisor Bret Parker talk about revisiting the world of The Incredibles for the sequel, the synchronicity between the various departments that is necessary to make an animated movie, crafting various sequences, the nuances in the animation and the performances, and more.
  • Super Stuff (6:36) - A look at the visual aesthetic of the film, from Screenslaver's lair to the design of the background characters and Elastigirl's motorcycle.
  • Paths to Pixar: Everyday Heroes (11:40) - Writer/Director Brad Bird, the cast and the Pixar animators reflect on how they relate to story and the characters in the movie.
  • Superbaby (4:57) - Paige and Frankie from Bizaardvark give viewers a rhyming tour of Pixar Studios.
  • Ralph Eggleston: Production Designer (2:07) - Eggleston talks about his career and how he came to work at Pixar.
  • Making Bao (6:02) - Director Domee Shi talks about the labor of love that was her short, Bao, basing the mom character on her own mom, and setting it in her home town of Toronto.
  • Heroes & Villains (25:35) - Eight featurettes spotlighting the film's characters ("Mr. Incredible," "Elastigirl," "The Parr Kids," "Frozone," "Edna Mode," "Winston Deavor," "Evelyn Deavor" and "Wannabes").
  • Vintage Features (3:12) - Three vintage toy commercials ("Mr. Incredible," "Elastigirl" and "Frozone") and three character theme songs ("Mr. Incredible," "Elastigirl" and "Frozone").
  • Deleted Scenes (39:44) - Ten scenes, preceded by an introduction by writer/director Brad Bird ("Suburban Escape," "Kari Revisited," "Return of the Supers," "Chewed Out," "Late Audition," "Slow Day," "Frozone and Honey," "Restaurant Robbery," "Fashion Show" "Security Breakdown").
  • Trailers & Promo (9:19) - Three trailers ("Powers - Global Teaser Trailer," "Family - Global Trailer" and "Theatrical Payoff - Japan Trailer") and one promo ("Super Moments").

Incredibles 2 is available from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment as of November 6th, 2018. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray features English Dolby Atmos, English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, and English Dolby Digital 2.0 Descriptive Audio tracks. The film is presented with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. The total runtime is 1 hr. 58 min.




* Reviewer's note: Portions of this Blu-ray review were adapted from my original review of the theatrical release, published on June 11th, 2018.



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