The Incredibles – 2004

In 2004, Pixar made a radical decision in their selection for the next director of their upcoming film.  Up to this point every film was done by an established group of writers from Pixar which included John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Pete Docter.  However, for this film, Pixar rolled the dice in bringing an outsider Brad Bird on board for the project.    While Birds’ resume included being the executive consultant for the Simpsons and an animator on a couple of Previous Disney films, his solo animated project, Iron Giant,  was a commercial disaster.   For Bird, this was a golden opportunity to redeem himself and with the resources and prestige of Pixar, he would prove to be to the task.

The story begins with Bob Parr as the superhero Mr. Incredible at the pinnacle of his career.   On a single day he thwarts a bank robbery, defuses a bomb, saves a train from crashing, rescues a cat, and tops it off with marrying a fellow Super, Elastic Girl.  However in the aftermath, a backlash towards the Supers engulfs the country.  Thanks to numerous lawsuits, a settlement was reached to send to the Supers into retirement and blend them into the community with no hint of their previous accomplishments.  Fast forward and we now see Bob as a white collar worker with a family of three kids. His kids also have special abilities with Dash being able to run with reckless speed, Violet able to vanish and form a force field, and the baby with a power only to be revealed at the end of the film.  Bob struggles with his new role as a father and not being a hero, even sneaking off with another super Frozone  to stop crime unbeknownst to his wife.  His family also struggles with Dash frustrated not being able to use his power, Violet is not comfortable with her powers, and Elastic Girl is frustrated with her husbands’ inability to adjust to his new role of being a leader of the household and as a father.

Bob’s salvation from his boring life comes in a form of a mysterious offer for him to defuse an out of control machine on an exotic island.  Hi is victorious.  and regains his self worth as he gets pampered, becomes a good father, and a loving husband.   However when he returns to the island for his next mission, he is captured by the new and improved machine.  It is revealed that his employee is the self proclaimed arch nemesis Syndrome.  This dastardly villain was at one time Mr. Incredible biggest fan as a boy, but was pushed aside earlier in the film resulting in his desire for vengeance.   Bob’s only hope for escape is his family who attempts a dangerous rescue mission.  Their mission will only be a success if the family is able to work together and trust their amazing abilities 

The main theme of this film is the importance of not having your self worth being defined by one thing.  Bob’s was being a super hero, which boosts his ego and gives me something to live for.  When he tries to be a typical 8 hour a day worker he hates it!  It makes him yearn for the old days and distracts from what is good about his life.  He doesn’t care about his marriage, ignores his kids, and sees himself as failure.  The whole story revolves around what is important in his life and when he finally he realizes its his family, it is a really rewarding moment.  It’s very relatable as we all are defined to some degree with our careers and it’s perfectly understandable how we fall into the same trap.  Not many films accomplish this point it as well as this one.

The family itself was very well developed. Helen aka Elastic Girl, is a great mother who is struggling to hold the family together, yet is very calm and establishes herself as a voice of wisdom for the family.  I enjoy Dash’s mischievous personality and as a one time sprinter, I wish I had his power for speed.  Violet is a very shy, yet likable teen as she tries to fit into the challenging world of junior high.  How they interact with each other throughout the film is very comparable to a typical family.  One of my favorite parts in the film is seeing the four characters finally work together fending off all the enemies in a scene on the island. It’s a very riveting moment.  

 As much as I enjoy the family I also love two other characters in the film:  Syndrome and Edna.  Syndrome fits the stereotypical arch villain with perfect exaggeration of his great ego and his thrust for power.  While he wants to defeat the family, he can’t help but be nostalgic for his love of their powers and personas.  As funny as he is in My Name is Earl, Jason Lee is never better in providing his voice.  Edna, meanwhile is the fashion designer for the Supers costumes, which now doesn’t include capes.  She is based on Edith Head, the famous designer for many legendary Hollywood stars from the 50’s and 60’s.  Her eccentric feistiness, yet genius makes her one of my favorite characters in a Pixar film despite not being a main character.  I laugh every time I hear her voice.

This is also one the greatest action films of all time.  The animation that provides the speed and action frame by frame never lets up regardless of the power of the Supers.  What makes it unique, is at no time the Supers fight with the use of guns, knives, or any hand held weapons.  Yes, they rely on their special powers, but it’s how they use their powers what makes it special.  Take Dash for an example, his speed enables him to run on water, climb trees, and create a mini sand storm.  Another good example, Elastic Girl is able to stretch her arms and legs to make herself a raft, trip enemies, float, and become a balloon.  The various creative attacks and situations the family overcomes varies enough not get too predictable and seeing them bond through these dangerous situations provides an emotional quality missing in the action film genre.  Next time a list comes out for best action film, the Incredibles should be ranked alongside with the James Bond, Indiana Jones, and Batman films.

The film also has some great moments of humor.  The dark comedy of the demise of the Supers from a lawsuit from a man upset of being saved from a suicide attempt is brilliant.  It also pokes fun at the super hero genre.  These moments include a great montage delivered by Edna stressing the dangers of a hero wearing a cape, the master plan of Syndrome based on just about every James Bond villain, and even the over the top vocal delivery of Mr. Incredible delivers when he saves the day.  The natural interaction between the family members also result in some good laughs throughout the film.

The Incredibles is a terrific film.  It really covers a lot of topics and elements that regular movies consistently fall short of.  It’s one of the best action films, a great family film, a realistic film about the difficulties of marriage, a film that shows how hard it is to start all over, and a few laughs to round it out.  It’s amazing how a director who failed so spectacularly in his first animated film, would come back and make a masterpiece.  Also credit Pixar for providing the resources and flexibility for Brad Bird to achieve his vision.  My one complaint of the film . . . that it took 14 years to make a sequel.

Brian’s Rating 10/10

Flyin’ Brian