The superhero genre produces movies that come in all shapes and sizes. These films can take on a broad range of ratings from the MPAA, with most of them getting the PG-13 label when they debut in theaters. With that said, Brad Bird's Incredibles 2 is only rated PG, and while the lower rating implies to some that it's tailored to younger audiences, Bird wants all of us to know that it is definitely not a kids movie, and that animated films, in general, are not inherently kids movies. Responding to a fan who complained about the foul language in the film on social media, Bird opened up about this topic and explained:
For some, an animated film with a PG rating inherently implies that it's aimed at kids. However, that's not how Brad Bird feels about the situation. Incredibles 2 features slightly stronger language than one might expect from an animated PG movie, and while that didn't sit well with one specific fan, Bird's tweet emphasizes the fact that Incredibles 2 casts a wide audience net and shouldn't be considered merely a kids movie that only plays to the younger members of the audience. By his own estimation, thinking that a film is a kids movie just because it is animated and PG is a false way to look at the medium.
The swearing is not the only element of Incredibles 2 that pushes the PG label. Unlike many other films produced under the Disney or Pixar banners, the violence is reasonably visceral (at least by PG standards) and doesn't shy away from ideas like death or murder in the way that it treats its story. Moreover, there are sequences in the movie in which characters openly drink alcohol while engaging in conversation with one another, which (at least by this writer's recollection) has seldom happened in previous Pixar movies.
Of course, those of us who are familiar with Brad Bird's work in the animated landscape shouldn't necessarily be surprised by this. Much like Incredibles 2, films like The Incredibles and The Iron Giant similarly dealt in mature themes that appealed to adults and children alike. These movies sometimes get classified in the kids movie category, but to look at them and assume that they're solely for children arguably feels like a miscalculation.
No matter what you think of the foul language used in Incredibles 2, it's hard to argue against the fact that the film has handily gone on to become a box office juggernaut since its debut. If you want more information about it, then check out our full review of the film. Beyond that, make sure to head over to our 2018 movie premiere guide to get more details on all of the films that are going to debut on the big screen this year!
