Welcome back to my next Pixar review! Today we will be looking at their 2004 entry that is considered by many (myself included) to be among their finest work. Heck I’d argue its become more popular in the years since its release with many people talking about it more and even demanding for a sequel. Said sequel eventually got made, and became the biggest grossing animated film in North America. Goes to show how fondly people remember it and it is always thrown around when discussing the greatest superhero movies of all time. So in short its a very well regarded film and now we’re going to see just how well it has held up since it first came out. Now let’s suit up and dive into what is not only possibly my favorite Pixar movie but one of my favorite movies period.
Taking place in a world where Superheroes exists and fight crime, we follow Mr. Incredible one of the strongest and most popular supers around who is soon to become the husband to fellow hero, Elastigirl. Everything seems to be going perfectly for him… until he gets sued for the collateral damage he caused in his last crime fighting outing and soon after many more supers would face lawsuits like this leading public opinion on them to change drastically and forcing them to live normally in secret among the public with no crime fighting thanks to the help of the Superhero Relocation Program. So now Bob Parr (AKA Mr. Incredible) is now working for an insurance company (which is not quite as heroic) while also raising a family with Ellen Parr (AKA Elastigirl), with each of the family having super powers like Dash has super speed, Violet has invisibility, and Jack-Jack well they don’t quite know what he has. Even so Bob still finds himself yearning for the glory days of supers and likes to hang out with his friend, Lucius (AKA Frozone) listening to the radio for any crimes going on (something their wives don’t know they do). But just when things seem to be going downhill for the former hero, he is offered a chance, via explosive message, to do hero work once more and of course he seizes the opportunity. But while things start off grand, he (and his wife) slowly begin to find out that there is more going on than initially thought and that someone from his past has come back to enact revenge. So can Bob, and his family be able to save each other, and the day before it is too late?
I’d say the biggest reason why I love this movie so much is just how it is able mesh all of these different genres, and tones in a way that feels very well thought out, and balanced. Of course it works excellently as a super hero action adventure with powers, and action galore, but it also manages to throw in some 007 type elements in the second act with all of the intrigue you’d expect, and function as a family comedy that manages to entertain with plenty of great jokes, and sharp dialogue that involve the family’s powers, and dynamic and that poke fun at super hero tropes (though not so much as to become a full on parody) while also containing appropriate themes on family, and how to always trust each other no matter what. It even works as this mid life crisis drama in the first act as Bob yearns for the glory days as lives through what he feels is an uneventful life. What I like about these scenes (and really the movie in general) is how they don’t just talk down to audiences and takes a look at its subject matter very seriously with the maturity it deserves and they movie ain’t afraid to tread dark territory when needed. I also love how it’s pacing and how it takes its time to develop both the world and characters and I just appreciated the slower pace as most animated movies nowadays can feel a little too hectic at times. It also does what other Pixar movie have done so well in that it perfectly sets up this world without drowning the audience in exposition and lets us see the heroes in action and who they are through their actions (there’s a clever touch at the beginning as we are introduced to Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone through old interview footage). Very quickly do we get a sense of this world and how it works with all of the different supers, and the laws that arise to keep them hidden from the world. It sort of like Captain America Civil War, or even Watchmen as it question the actions of super heroes and whether they cause more harm than good, and the screenplay does take the time to delve into those ideas and it’s able to do it in a way that I feel is different from other like it and it all wraps up very nicely. This is also a Pixar movie that has a more subtle emotional punch too it as it doesn’t have any moments that would want to make you cry your eyes out and I felt it worked in its own way and was very effective at times (whenever the family has a big argument or when Bob thinks his family was killed in a plane crash come to mind). But overall everything about the story just clicks on so many levels and it all comes to together to make one satisfying stew of many different elements.
Since this is Pixar, it is befitting that this is yet another extremely well crafted feature from them and I’m impressed on how well the animation has held up all these years later. This was actually the first Pixar movie to have actual human beings as the main focus whereas in their previous work it would be either anthropomorphized or fantastical beings and they did a great job with those character designs as while they do have a bit more realistic look to them, they also have the right amount of exaggerated features like the eyes, or the shapes of the faces to give them a unique look that fits the character and to give off what their powers are (like Bob being big, and bulky represents his super strength). This can also apply to the movements which are more grounded as well but also capture the different powers really well like Dash’s running, Elastigirl’s stretching, Violet’s invisibility, Frozone’s ice, and Mr. Incredible’s strength very well. As for the backgrounds, there’s a really nice 1950s types aesthetic in the earlier scenes with the architecture, and cars looking like they came straight from that era, and Syndrome’s elaborate island also feels like a locale straight out of a Bond film. Then there’s the action which is just incredible (no pun intended)! Brad Bird does an excellent job behind the camera as each (surprisingly brutal) action sequence whether it be Mr. Incredible fighting the Omnidroid, Elastigirl avoiding missiles trying to hit her plane, Dash running on water, or the entire family fighting the giant Omnidroid in the city together is superbly crafted and thrilling from beginning to end. I also have to mention the iconic theme from Michael Giacchino which is honestly one of my favorite film scores ever. Not only is it a ton of fun to listen too with a nice jazzy feel to it, but it also perfectly captures the tone, and setting of the movie at any given moment while also just being great music in its own right. Considering this is Brad Bird it really is no surprise how well put together this film is and is a big reason why it still holds up.
There have been times when people would say this is the best Fantastic Four movie we have ever gotten and yeah I agree with that statement. Another aspect this movie nails is the whole super hero family dynamic as each member of the Parr family are well rounded individuals who are investing to watch. Bob is as I said a man going through a mid life crisis and what I love about him is that he’s written in a way that doesn’t make truly hateful. Sure he is a very flawed human being who can be selfish, and maybe a bit too nostalgic for the glory days but deep down he does truly care about his family and Craig T. Nelson did a fantastic job of portraying the many layers the character has. He also has some great interactions with Helen who just wants to live a normal life away from all of the super heroics and wants what’s best for her kids, but she’ also not afraid to take charge when needed in order to protect the family. She’s another interesting, and complex character that also isn’t perfect yet still will do what’s for the greater good, and Holly Hunter gives in a very well done vocal performance. Then there’s the two kids, Violet, and Dash voiced by Sarah Powell, and Spencer Fox respectively, who both a lot of fun and face relatable problems in their everyday lives, with Violet wanting be more confident in herself, while Dash wants to use his powers to the fullest and the way their arcs here wrapped up was nicely done. As for the supporting cast well they are also very fun, and interesting as they end up adding a lot to the movie like Samuel L. Jackson bringing his usual fast talking wit, and cool personality to the role of Lucius Best (AKA Frozone, also really appreciate the Die Hard with a Vengeance reference here) and has a number of memorable lines while Elizabeth Pena plays it calm, and smooth in her role as Mirage, the one who convinces Bob to take up the mantle again, and is Syndrome’s right hand lady. And of course how could I forget the character of costume designer, Edna Mode, who is played brilliantly here by Brad Bird himself, and is responsible for some of the biggest laughs of the picture with her eccentric personality, and passion to the craft (in particular her rule about no capes). And then we have our big bad, Syndrome, voiced with manic energy by Jason Lee who is considered to be Pixar’s greatest villain by a good number of people and I definitely think he is among the best of them. I really love the way he was set up at the beginning as Mr. Incredible’s biggest fan, Buddy Pine, but after he was rejected by his hero, he would turn to life of villainy and be responsible for the deaths of many supers. It really added another layer to the character and is a great, and sadly ahead of its time example of so called fanboy toxicity and he’s works greatly as intimating, and personal threat to our heroes, and provides a surprising amount of comedy as well. But in the end this movie is all about family and the one here is absolutely one I would love to hang out with again.
After a lot of thought, I would gladly consider the Incredibles to be my favorite movie from Pixar as for me it just hits all of the right notes. It has masterful storytelling, powerful, and relevant themes, tight pacing, excellent direction, great animation, phenomenal action sequences, a memorable cast of compelling characters, and so much more. It truly is an incredible feature that I find myself revisiting very often. Heck if Pixar had decided to let this be a stand alone feature then I wouldn’t mind at all (I really didn’t feel like the ending was explicitly meant to set up a sequel) since this works perfectly as a stand alone film and still stands out among the slew super hero movies released since its original release. There’s not much else I can say without repeating anything I already stated as this stand as one of my favorite animated movies, super hero movies, and just movies in general. So with said, that’s a wrap for this review and now it’s time to look forward to next time as we will be cruising through Route 66 in a small, forgotten town called Radiator Springs, taking a look at one of the studio’s more underappreciated outings.
Rating: A+
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