Where’s my super-suit?

Superhero movies seem to be churned out by Hollywood every few months now.

We’ve had Wonder Woman and Black Panther, Iron Man, The Avengers and X-Men all saving the world and defeating evil in their different fashions. Those who enjoy these films (I have to say, they are not my cup of tea) know what to expect – dramatic action sequences; often ambiguous political scenarios; heroes who are like us, but better; heroes who come from another world; personal conflict as the hero accepts their mission, and evil which is a threat to human relationships as we know them.

Incredibles 2 may be a PG-rated, feel-good, school summer holiday animation, but it plays with many of these features to provide a warm-hearted and family-friendly, joke-filled pastiche of the genre.

Women good, men bad?

You may have hazy memories of the first Incredibles film from 2004. This sequel begins months after that one ended, in a nostalgic 1960s-styled world (think bright colours and gorgeously sharp interiors and cars, but with modern technology) in which superheroes are banned, but the Parr family, aka the Incredibles, are using their superpowers to defeat the Underminer, a suitably cackling baddy.

The problem is that the powers that be are not pleased with this messy, insurance-invalidating rescue and so the family are shunted away to a cheap motel. Their salvation comes in the form of a smooth-talking sales tycoon, Winston Deavor, who wants to see superheroes accepted back into society.

His plan? Promote Elastigirl, mum Helen Parr, as an efficient, no-mess superhero, by filming her every move. So, Bob Parr (Mr Incredible) becomes a stay-at-home dad, struggling to help out with homework, sort out boyfriend troubles and change nappies, who needs help from scary female fashion designer, Edna Mode, to deal with the baby’s super-powered tantrums. Throw in a bright female archenemy and, despite the retro design, you have a very 21st-century scenario: women get things done, men just blunder along.

We need heroes

I won’t reveal any spoilers, but it’s worth pointing out that the pop-feminism doesn’t completely dominate, and although Elastigirl is central, the message of the film seems to be that everyone is needed. In the end, we see that Mr Incredible’s parenting is heroic, and he is essential to the rescue mission too. Elastigirl loves her new job, but desperately misses being at home.

More than that, whilst the plan of the baddy is not fully fleshed out, it appears that her aim is to stop people being so dependent on screens and on heroes. Be yourself, don’t rely on others, is her call. And, in pitching this as an evil threat, the film seems like a small strike against the self-actualisation message of so much of today’s media. Instead of emphasising independence, the film tells us we need each other; in fact, we need heroes!

A hero who looks like us

So, this is where we come back to the super-hero genre and its gospel echoes. Incredibles 2 plunges us into a world plagued by evil, but ignorant of its scope and powerless to prevent it – a world just like ours. Into that world come heroes who look like us – a normal family battling normal human troubles - but who are different because they have the power to rescue and to change lives. And into our world has come a hero, who looks like us but has power to rescue and change lives – the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Incredibles rescue through personal sacrifice, through controlled and chosen self-denial in their powerful acts – and so has our Lord Jesus Christ.

The film looks 21st-century and carries with it some of our century’s cynicism and modish themes, but at heart it echoes a great gospel narrative and emphasises key truths about our humanity. Go and enjoy it – and look out for the raccoon!