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Incredibles 2 is the Feminist Movie That Pixar Needs

Incredibles 2 is the Feminist Movie That Pixar Needs

The movie beats the worst baddie of them all: gender norms

 

 

I still remember watching The Incredibles for the first time.

 

The year was 2004. Right off the bat I knew the film was one Iā€™d be asking my mother to purchase a DVD of. Mid-way through the movie, I was completely sucked in by the story and endeared by the characters. After all, I could see my family in them. An office-going dad, an on-top-of-everything mom, three kids who would butt heads at the dinner table. The Incredibles was a movie that pretty much everyone from my generation fell in love with. Kids like me wished long and hard for a sequel, hoping that the sporadic announcements promising a second movie werenā€™t just hearsay.

 

 

14 years down the line, weā€™re finally getting the sequel weā€™ve wished so long and hard for. The Incredibles 2 comes out on June 15th and while the mere idea of finally being granted another peek into the Parr familyā€™s misadventures is enough to keep us on the edge of our seats, the trailer gives us even more reason to be excited.

 

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Thereā€™s a paradigm shift in this movie. Unlike the original film where Robert worked his desk job all day and Helenā€™s priority was caring for the kids at home, the follow-up points the spotlight at Elastigirl as she takes on a new, seemingly top-secret assignment. The idea is to thrust supers back into the spotlight. As a capable, level-headed kickass mom? Sounds like the authorities rightfully picked her as the woman for the job.

 

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At home: an endearing kind of chaos ensues. Promising to keep the kids in check while his wife fights off baddies, Robert momentarily puts his super suit away in favor of a pair of glasses on his nose, a pencil behind his ear and a bag of extra diapers.

 

One look at the trailer tells us that The Incredibles 2 isnā€™t trying hard to jump on the feminist bandwagon. It genuinely vouches for equality. Holly Hunter, the voice actor who breathes life into Elastigirl, called the filmā€™s director, Brad Bird, a true feminist when she disclosed to Entertainment Weekly, ā€œBradā€™s imagination veers off into intensely funny stuff and I find that so fresh. And of course, that also includes the character development of Helen throughout this second movie. It just feels really rich.ā€

 

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Mr. Incredible and Elastigirlā€™s character arcs are both crucial in proving a point: women should no longer be limited to household responsibilities, in the same way that itā€™s okay for men to be stay-at-home fathers. At the same time, this film is also a reminder that feminism doesnā€™t have to equate to an in-your-face invitation to fight every living, breathing male. Feminism is as simple as asking for a seat at the table, for a shot at doing the same things men are allowed to without question.

 

Itā€™s about time Disney and Pixar joined forced for a production that actively drives this message, donā€™t you think?

 

RELATED: If Your Brand of Feminism Is White Feminism, Donā€™t Bother

 

The Incredibles 2 makes it heroic entrance to cinemas worldwide on June 15th. Weā€™ve been waiting 14 years; donā€™t miss it!

 

 

Art Cara Gamo

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