Let's be real, this is the best Fantastic Four game we're ever gonna get Lego games haven't changed much since their debut in the PS2 era (and yes, it's really been that long, and you're really that old). For better or worse, TT Games settled on a formula that seems to work, and the company has stuck with it for nearly 15 years. Every Lego game lets you take control of various characters from the franchise du jour, pound the crap out of the scenery to reduce it to its component atoms, then reassemble some pieces in a different configuration in order to progress through levels based loosely on the source material. Despite the pedigree of the movie version of The Incredibles and the fact that this is the first Lego game to feature Pixar characters, Lego The Incredibles doesn't deviate even slightly from the formula first put forward in 2005. It does let players explore a unique world and includes a lot of fanservice for kids (and adults) who've been raised by Pixar movies. I thought it was pretty neat to see the hopping lamp made of plastic bricks when the game first starts up, but whether or not that image triggers something in you will have a lot to do with how much you'll enjoy Lego The Incredibles. LEGO The Incredibles (PS4, PC, Switch [reviewed], Xbox One) Developer: TT Games Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Released: June 15, 2018 MSRP: $59.99 (Console), $39.99 (PC) I'll do my best not to spoil anything for those who haven't seen the new Incredibles movie, but you've had 14 years to watch the first one so if you haven't yet and keep reading, that's on you. The game begins right where the new film does, directly after the events of the first movie. I thought this was a mistake at first, and restarted my game to see if I had misclicked something, selecting the second movie by accident. But no, you have to play through the second Incredibles movie to unlock the first. It's a questionable design decision, and the chronology of the film universe means this decision robs many of the first movie's plot points of their impact. As an example, baby Jack-Jack spends a large percentage of the first movie as a normal toddler, and it isn't until the end of the story when the audience realizes he has superpowers (and quite a few, at that). One of the new film's plot lines explores how the rest of the family deals with this realization. Jack-Jack is a playable character in several scenes from the second movie, so the reveal at the end of the first movie's story mode means nothing. It's not a shock to the player that Jack-Jack has powers when they've been actively turning him into a fireball or a demon for the last few hours. It's weird that everyone's powers are more developed in the early game than later on, and the cool team-up abilities the kids discover on the tropical island have already been in use for several hours by the time you play this part of the movie. Putting that aside, the game opens up after you complete the first story assignment. There's an open-world playground to explore, and you can faff about here or return to the story mode at any time.The open world has plenty to do and collect, and it's fun using your powers to save people, fight fires, stop robbers, and so on. Drop-in, drop-out cooperative play is enabled by default, and the Switch version lets each player take control by using a single Joy-Con. This is strictly couch co-op, and there's no online play or additional multiplayer modes. Co-op is one of the Lego games' biggest selling points, and every level includes at least two characters to switch between, even when the original story doesn't call for more than one. This necessitates some changes to the movie's script, and creates some tonal shifts I didn't care for. For example, early in the first movie, Mr. Incredible tells Buddy/Incrediboy "I work alone," and "You are not affiliated with me." The rejection twists Buddy's hero worship into hatred, and he eventually becomes the arch-villain Syndrome. In the game though, the pair work together willingly for an entire level to foil a bank robbery. Frankly, Incrediboy's more useful in this stage than Mr. Incredible is. I was also somewhat bothered by the odd Bowdlerization inflicted upon the game's script. Most references to death were removed, and the most glaring example of this comes when Mr. Incredible is infiltrating Syndrome's island stronghold. In the movie, Mr. Incredible escapes detection by hiding behind the corpse of Gazerbeam, one of his fellow Supers from the days before vigilantism was made illegal. In the game Gazerbeam is not only alive, but joins Mr. Incredible on his infiltration mission. This is especially strange since the mission concludes as the pair manage to hack into Syndrome's computer, finding that he's been killing Supers using his Omnidroids in a scene lifted directly from the movie. I can understand wanting to appeal to as large an audience as possible, but no kid who's seen The Incredibles will be damaged by the realization that an off-screen character dies, and no kid who hasn't will want to play Lego The Incredibles anyway. I guess I just don't understand who this decision was meant to protect. Apart from these changes the game follows the plot of both movies adequately, and the various superpowers are realized well. TT Games has been doing this for a while, and they understand how to make playable superheroes interesting and fun. Mr. Incredible has super strength and can smash through weak walls, his wife Elastigirl can stretch and transform her body into a variety of useful shapes. This is a little weird since Lego bricks aren't known for their flexibility, but I got over it after a while. Dash is faster than any other character, and this includes both movement and his ability to build Lego constructions.<doc-sep>(Disney | Pixar | The Associated Press) This image released by Disney Pixar shows characters, from left, Bob/Mr. Incredible, voiced by Craig T. Nelson; Helen/Elastigirl, voiced by Holly Hunter; Dash, voiced by Huck Milner; Jack Jack and Violet, voiced by Sarah Vowell, in "Incredibles 2," in theaters on June 15. A lot has happened to superheroes since “The Incredibles,” Pixar Animation Studios’ retro-cool story of crimefighters having to hide their talents and adjust to suburban life, burst onto screens in 2004. The entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has played out, from Iron Man’s first flight to Thanos’ universe-changing finger snap. DC Comics has been through two Batmans (Christian Bale and Ben Affleck), introduced an amazing Wonder Woman and pulled the Justice League together. Now comes “Incredibles 2,” reuniting us with Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter) and their superpowered children, and they haven’t aged a day. That’s good, because we could use them now more than ever. Returning writer-director Brad Bird — who followed the siren song of live-action filmmaking through “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” and “Tomorrowland” — kicks off where “The Incredibles” ended, with the still-outlawed supers challenged by a subterranean criminal, The Underminer (voiced by Pixar’s good-luck charm, John Ratzenberger). Our supers save Municiberg, but the collateral damage puts them in the crosshairs of the law. The government program that had put the supers into hiding has been canceled, so Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl — under their secret identities, Bob and Helen Parr — and their children, Violet (voiced by Sarah Vowell), Dash (voiced by Huck Milner) and baby Jack-Jack, must start their lives over again. Through their friend Lucius Best (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson), aka Frozone, the Parrs get an offer from tech tycoon Winston Deavor (voiced by Bob Odenkirk) to restore the supers’ reputation. Winston wants to mount a public-relations campaign to make superheroes popular again and overturn the law that banned them. Backed by his inventor sister, Evelyn (voiced by Catherine Keener), he suggests the first step in the campaign should revolve around Elastigirl cleaning up crime in the big city, New Urbem. Putting Elastigirl in the lead is especially tough on Bob, who swallows his ego as he takes the unfamiliar position of stay-at-home dad. He soon discovers it’s hard to punch through such troubles as Violet’s first crush, Dash’s New Math homework and Jack-Jack’s wide range of uncontrolled powers. Of course, Bob calls on an old ally, the imperious designer Edna Mode (voiced by Bird), to help in a pinch. Bird returns to the retro-modern 1960s look of the first movie — think “The Jetsons” meet early James Bond movies in Seattle’s Space Needle — and every space, surface and object looks methodically thought-out and designed. He even shows his inspirations; when the TV is on in the Parr house, it’s tuned to “The Outer Limits” or “Jonny Quest,” when not being hijacked by a hypnotic new villain, the Screenslaver. The action is as plentiful and as creative as in any superhero movie, proving the line between “live-action” and “animation” is practically nonexistent. Bird and Pixar’s design team create a wealth of new supers, each waiting for the chance to be heroic and overcome the cynics who, as one character puts it, can’t believe that people do good without expecting anything in return. (That’s as overtly political as Bird’s script gets, but the words land with a punch.) The focus of “Incredibles 2” remains, as with the first movie, on the strength of the Parr family. Bird doesn’t bring the tears like many Pixar films do — the accompanying short film “Bao,” about a Chinese-Canadian mother with empty-nest syndrome, takes care of that — but he tests the Parrs’ bonds repeatedly, as they take on bad guys and the struggles of parenting and do a super job at both.<doc-sep>It’s smart the way their superpowers continue to reflect their normal problems, but the film needed something fresh, too. And it doesn’t get it in its new villain, one of those baddies who has all sorts of evil plans but not much of a point.<doc-sep>Incredibles 2 is fantastic — it’s probably the most visually exciting superhero flick you’ll ever see, but it still can’t top the first Incredibles, which is arguably Pixar’s best. For a moment, though, it seems like it has the potential to do just that. It doesn’t have to be that way. Perhaps the most astounding thing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe (probably the best comparison when it comes to superhero cinema) is that the movies keep getting better, which isn’t typically how sequels work. Sure, there are people who will always put Iron Man or Captain America: The First Avenger at the top of their ranked lists, but superhero movies do have the potential to improve as the franchise continues. Pixar’s Incredibles 2 is only, as the name suggests, the sophomore film in the series. It’s not just another superhero movie. It’s a new Incredibles movie, a 14 years later follow-up to one of the all-time greats. The stakes are higher, and the comparison starker. The film flirts with some bold, meaty themes that could’ve matched the original’s nuanced portrayal of marriage, warts and all. Unfortunately, that plot thread gets pushed aside unceremoniously so Incredibles 2 can be a more straightforward action movie, though, it still has gobs more heart than most blockbuster sequels do. This review contains minor spoilers for Incredibles 2. Even though a decade and a half has passed in the real world, Incredibles 2 kicks off right where the first movie ended. The family bands together to take down the Underminer, and let’s just say their heroic efforts result in a mixed success. Superheroes are still illegal despite their victory in the first film. However, a charismatic tycoon named Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) has a plan to get some great PR for Supers and use that to make heroics legal once again. The first step of this plan involves making Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) the public face of Supers — and not Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson). This is where Incredibles 2 takes the most risks. Mr. Incredible doesn’t like being looked over in favor of his wife. He can’t help but begrudge her success and resent the opportunity she has while he’s stuck at home taking care of the kids. And, yet, he loves and wants to support her. It’s a role reversal from the first film, and seeing Mr. Incredible grapple with these ugly feelings or watching the husband and wife duo get into a big fight at the dinner table because they disagree on how to raise the kids is the most interesting material the film has to work with. Moments like these are what make the Incredibles, like their clear conceptual ancestors the Fantastic Four, such interesting characters. They’re superheroes, yes, but they’re also a family. And sometimes families fight. Often, actually. This scene is pretty rough stuff, actually! Pixar Unfortunately, that raw, all-too-real plot runs the risk of making Mr. Incredible pretty unlikeable, so the marital strife and emasculated sniping is largely handwaved away halfway through the movie once the new supervillain, the Screen Slaver, starks wreaking chaos. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl never quite have a moment of emotional catharsis or come to grips with the implications of these very human feelings because they’re too busy being superhumans. That’s okay, though! Perhaps it’s unfair to want Pixar to make a feature-length marital counseling film. Incredibles 2 is a true all-ages movie, which means that even though it can grapple with some mature themes, kids still need to be able to enjoy it. Adults will enjoy Incredibles 2 as well, because even if the second half isn’t as deep as the first part, it’s a blast. Incredibles 2 takes full advantage of being animated as the non-existent “camera” whips around action-packed set pieces in a thrilling chase scene with the same fluidity and panache as Elastigirl herself. The mid-century modernism aesthetic that made the first film’s visuals so distinct and memorable has been pushed even further here. A new Super with electric powers blasts out crisp bolts of lightning. Elastigirl has a desperate struggle with the Screen Slaver inside a hypnotic LED prison. It’s exhilarating art. It’s hard to knock Incredibles 2. It is, after all, the long-awaited sequel to a prime contender for the title of both Best Pixar Movie and Best Superhero Movie. That it gets into an especially groovy groove in the back half and settles for being a fantastic sequel rather than pushing some difficult boundaries is understandable. It’s a great flick, but there’s a hint that we could have had a truly incredible movie instead of just an Incredibles movie. Incredibles 2 hits theaters on June 15.<doc-sep>
Elastigirl becomes a solo superhero in Incredibles 2 (Courtesy Disney Pixar) It's been 14 years since the superpowered Parr family arrived in theaters as, and in the intervening time, entire sprawling superhero universes have been launched by Marvel and Warner Bros. and built out by Fox.So how does an animated superhero movie play to audiences today, with caped blockbusters jostling shoulder to shoulder throughout the spring and summer seasons?Judging from the first wave of reviews Monday, Pixar's- which is currently receiving an "84" average on Metacritic and a 95 percent certified "fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes - reaches fresh creative heights, elevating above much of the crowded crime-fighter marketplace.To catch everyone up, since it has been more than a decade:returns the spandex-suited nuclear family headed by Bob/Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and Helen/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), as they also wrestle with the changing lives of their children: the once-shrinking Violet (Sarah Vowell), the kinetic Dash (newly voiced by Huck Milner) and baby Jack-Jack, now demonstrating a dangerous range of powers. Teaming with old super-friend Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson), the Parr family must balance domestic life with their illegal actions as superheroes.So far, the professional reviewers are hitting many of the same points: Can director Brad Bird recapture the magic of the Oscar-winning first film after all these years? Do superhero morality tales feel as fresh in 2018, even as the tropes are being poked? Does state-of-the-art animation hold its own, compared with the CG effects of live-action superhero films? And does the sequel have anything new to say?The good news forfans is that many critics are saying "yes" to all four of those questions.The Wrap cheers Bird's ability to again tap the original film's 2004 mojo, with some upgrades, writing: "The good news is that this continuation is a similarly rousing and savvy adventure that energetically serves up more of what we love - from the sleek retro-futurist designs to the ticklishly severe Eurasian super-clothier Edna Mode - and yet wisely, wittily, reverses the first film's accommodating traditionalism to make for an even richer, funnier portrait of its tight and in-tights family. "Similarly, Vulture offers a rave, writing that the sequel is "much like its predecessor, delightful as an animated feature but really, really delightful as a superhero picture. It's proof that someone (not anyone, mainly Bird) can make a Marvel-type movie that's fleet and shapely, with action sequences rich in style rather than tumult. "Vanity Fair raves, too, about the story and action - which now show the Incredible mother leading the way - writing: "Elastigirl/Helen sure is having fun out there as the new front-facing spokeswoman for safe, competent superheroism. Bird gives her a terrifically, uh, elastic chase sequence involving another doomed maglev train, ingeniously employing a vehicle called an Elastibike. Helen then finds herself on an intriguing little investigation, one shadowy and sinister enough that I had to avert my eyes during one scene. Yes, I was scared during a Pixar movie. "Vanity Fair, though, does add one minor caveat, nothing that the film is a "full-bodied picture, engaging and inventive and rendered with muscle," even if "it's almost too slick, too assured, too cute and clever" - a charge that the magazine levels against almost all Pixar movies.Among the somewhat more muted reviews, Indiewire cheers the heights that the sequel eventually reaches, even if it takes an hour to get there, writing: "There's a shadow of obligation around 'Incredibles 2,' a whiff of this again? that seeps into the opening shots and stinks up the joint for the entire first act. "But, Indiewire continues, as "the Parrs are pushed out of their comfort zone, Bird settles into his, and 'Incredibles 2' finds a groove the filmmaker has been looking for ever since he finished work on the ingenious 'Ratatouille' in 2007. Once the menacing and mysterious Screenslaver is introduced, inciting a Spielberg-level monorail chase that reaffirms Bird's lucid gift for kinetic and character-driven action filmmaking, the movie blasts off and never looks back. "After that, "the rest offires on all cylinders, jumping between Elastigirl's euphoric efforts to save the world and Bob's exasperated attempts to put out fires at home. ... Both plot threads work on their own, and knot into something even stronger - and often exhilarating - as Bird ties them together.