Brad Bird’s “The Incredibles” is a blend of
madcap superhero action, a solid family drama, and homage to the early Bond
films. It is among the best of the films made by the geniuses at Pixar studio
who have set the bar for animation in the last 15 years. Kids can enjoy the
humour and colourful imagery, while adults of all ages can enjoy the smart
story and action, which rivals some of the best action sequences of live-action
summer movies.
This was a great film to watch during the
holiday season back in 2004. It’s a perfect way to end the year as far as I am
concerned. After spending my first college semester in Quebec City and
preparing for my exams, it was time to kick back, relax, and watch a movie
filled high-tech gadgets, giant robots, exotic locations, explosions, and funny
quotes by Samuel L. Jackson playing a cool character called Frozone. What I
didn’t expect was for the main character Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) to suffer a
mid-life crisis and risk ending his marriage. That’s a pretty grown-up problem
for an animated movie. I wanted escapism at the movies, not a drama that would
remind me of my parents’ divorce. Still, I have to admit, even within a
superhero movie, it’s a solid depiction of a family drama.
As the story begins Bob a.k.a Mr. Incredible
is on his way to marry Helen (Holly Hunter) a.k.a Elastigirl. Bob has
superhuman strength while Helen’s body is like stretchable plastic. She can
stretch her limbs across the room, squish into corners, and even turn into a
parachute, which comes in handy when your airplane is about to explode.
Bob and Helen would be happy to live
happily ever after fighting crime, but something unexpected happens: they are
no longer wanted. There is a public outcry after damage done to a train Bob
saved from destruction. A man even sues him for damages after Bob stopped him
from jumping to his death. The government forces all superheroes into a form of
witness protection and forbids them from ever wearing a cape. Bob finds himself
working at an insurance company inside a cubicle that can barely contain his
massive body, while Helen raises their two children, hyper-active Dash (Spencer
Fox), shy Violet (Sarah Vowell) and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile and Maeve
Andrews) in suburbia.
One day Bob gets an offer from a mysterious
femme fatale called Mirage (Elizabeth Peña). She works on behalf of a mysterious millionaire who wants Bob to
freelance for him by securing on out of control robot on his private island.
Eager to once again use his powers, Bob decides to take the job and hide it
from his wife. Unbeknownst to him, the job is a trap set by Syndrome (Jason
Lee) a villain with a rather affecting back-story.
The villain’s island is itself a great
reference to early James Bond movies. It is filled with an army of armed henchmen
with matching uniforms, state-of-the-arts surveillance, an active volcano, and
of course a launch pad for a rocket.
Also standing in for Q, Bond’s gadget whiz,
is Edna Mode (strangely enough, voiced by Brad Bird), costume designer for the
superheroes. A diminutive woman with round spectacles, she lives in a giant
mansion where she misses the days when she used to design uniforms for gods.
When Bob comes beeping at her intercom asking for a new uniform, she sees this
as an invitation to design a clothing line for the whole family. She isn’t
satisfied with merely making her uniforms bulletproof they are rocket-proof.
Within the barrage of gunfights and
explosions the Incredibles face, the writers at Pixar have also inserted some
big ideas about family and marriage. Bob and Helen argue about whether or not
Dash should use his emerging powers or simply blend in and act like everyone
else. When Helen discovers Bob is hiding something from her she wonders if he
is cheating on her. Helen herself has somewhat of a mid-life crisis moment in
the villain’s lair when she catches a glimpse of her behind in a mirror and is
saddened to see retirement hasn’t been kind to her.
These elements make a superhero movie
filled with very human characters. I loved the movie enough to eventually get
the DVD, which is chock-full of fun bonus features, including files on all of
the superheroes. A highlight is “Jack-Jack Attack” a short feature about what
happened to baby Jack-Jack while the rest of the family went to the island. I
feel sorry for the babysitter.
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