Movie Review: “The Incredibles”

The Incredibles (2004)Pixar / DisneyRated PG115 minutes

Synopsis: A team of superheroes forced underground by the country they once fought to protect reunites to stop a common enemy.

Review: Pixar and Disney animation have made a triumphant return to the big screen with this holiday seasons’ animated flagship, “The Incredibles.” The 115-minute feature follows forty-something superhero and family head Bob Parr, a.k.a. Mr. Incredible (and voiced by Craig T. Nelson), as he struggles to come to grips with the mediocrity of normal life.

Banned from using his super powers by a legally battered and bruised government, Incredible and all of his legally liable brethren are placed in a makeshift witness protection program with the expectation that they will live out their days powered by nothing more than the mundane nuclear family dream. When Mr. Incredible is offered the chance to do top-secret work in the private sector he jumps at the chance to recapture his glory days, but not everything is as it appears.

Director Brad Bird, who also helmed the 1999 mega hit “The Iron Giant,” is responsible for this ultra stylized and comically driven feature. In the span of a little over an hour and a half, “The Incredibles” manages to produce a convincing, dramatic and enjoyable superhero feature. Visually, the film is a tour de force of computer animation with stunning effects that come alive on screen. This animated gem makes a solid effort, and in many cases succeeds, at proving the axiom, “art imitates life.”

Assisting the powerful visuals is a solid and developed storyline coupled with witty and engaging character dialogue. “They keep finding new ways to celebrate mediocrity,” mumbles Mr. Incredible as he wryly points to his disdain for the normal life and the perceived status quo. Lines such as these are just one example of the mature and strikingly poignant commentary peppered throughout the screenplay. The Incredibles manages to appeal to an older age bracket due to the more grown up and mature storyline, yet the animation and comic relief can still draw in Pixar’s younger staple audience.

This feature proves that Pixar has moved to a different level of filmmaking. Their ability to write and create all ages, solid animation features has placed them in a league of their own. It will be interesting to see what the future holds should Pixar make a split from production partner, Disney.

Overall, The Incredibles is well worth the money and time spent in front of the big screen and definitely a contender for repeat viewing.