Review of The Incredibles (2004) by Archibald_Grant — 17 Oct 2016

The Incredibles, a gift box of everyday superhero action. Packed with the all-so-relatable suburban family, your favorite superhero tales, and tied together with comedy that may or may not be the cause of Pixar’s first ever PG film. I’ll tell you right now, this present is not one you’ll be returning like that weird sweater Auntie Jane bought you. This movie is a top of the notch faux leather coat with built in bluetooth speakers and rhinestones.

Although I have seen The Incredibles over a hundred times, there won’t ever be a day that I wouldn’t be willing to sit down with a cup of cocoa and watch it again. It’s one of those movies that I never seem to get tired of, which I’m telling you right now is quite hard to come across. I find myself laughing at jokes that I’ve heard multiple times, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t hear my parents laughing too. The characters are so easy to relate to, as Pixar really captured the modern day family, with a twist of course. Every jump scare seems to startle me all over again and every single time I watch it, iIt feels like the first.

The movie instantly grasps your attention with the introduction of three average superheros and a car chase scene that could definitely be another element to that “parental guidance” suggestion in the opening. Just after the first 10 minutes, the movie seems predictable, superheroes, bad guys, fighting crime, blah blah blah. I’ve seen it all before. But that’s where people are wrong. Law suits against superheroes? That’s new. Then a ban on them, forcing these crime fighting mutant humans into hiding. How will these daring do’s live in the real world having to keep their powers secret? It’s a new twist on the superhero tales we are used to and that’s where the story takes place.

15 years later. Bob Parr is an average looking, middle aged, guy, living in the suburbs with his wife, Helen, and three kids, teenage Violet, middle schooler, Dash, and baby Jack Jack. He works at an insurance agency and deals with that annoying boss we’ll all probably come across some day. They are definitely a typical, or should I say, stereotypical, family. Little do others know that Bob and Helen are actually the city famous Mr.Incredible, a hero known for his super strength, and Elastigirl, a woman who, as her name suggests, is elastic, and can stretch her limbs dangerously far.

And I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree because the three baby incredibles were so lucky as to gain powers themselves. Violet, holding the ability to turn invisible and create force fields, really shows her personality with her powers, as she is very shy and tends to keep to herself. Dash, unironically named for his super speed that gives him the ability to run on water and pull pranks on his teacher without being seen. And little Jack Jack, whose powers haven’t seemed to bloom yet, or so we think.

Although these supers are in hiding, Bob just can’t seem to let go of the past, sneaking out at night with his old friend, Lucius, or Frozone, another superhero, and a good source of laughs, who holds the power to freeze, listening to the police scanners and catching robbers or saving people from burning buildings. All of a sudden, Bob’s life takes a turn for the better, when he is contacted by a secret government agency to help them destroy an out of control robot. Of course, I don’t want to go into too much detail as to spoil the ending, but all I can say is the movie is definitely full of twists and turns that leave you on the edge if your seat (just be careful not to fall off when laughing).

All in all this movie is not just for kids, as the cartoon from Pixar suggests. I think anyone from any age group would definitely find someway to connect to it’s everyday characters. The humor spans up to adults also, as Pixar is very good at hiding little things for the adults to enjoy. This movie is so much more unique than the superhero movies we are used to today and it is all around one of Pixar’s best.