I knew going in that I would enjoy The Incredibles, the latest Disney/Pixar release. After all, they’ve been five for five with Toy Story I and II, A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo. It’s directed by Brad Bird, whose previous film was The Iron Giant, an animated masterpiece, and it’s about superheroes, my favorite subject. But, with all this in its favor, I was still a little concerned that it couldn’t live up to my expectations. The promising reviews all around were certainly a good sign. But, I had to see for myself, and couldn’t wait for the DVD release. So, fingers crossed, I went to the theatre for the first time since Spider-Man II, the current standard-bearer for the superhero film. Until now.
The Incredibles is simply the best superhero film ever made. Better than the first two Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman and Superman movies. From its self-aware superhero observations on the impracticality of capes and villain monologues to its portrayal of the indignities of getting older – gaining weight, reliving glory days, working a mundane job, The Incredibles was so much more than a cartoon or kid’s movie.
Intelligent and affectionate deconstruction of comic book superhero conventions is nothing new for comic fans of the 80s when everyone from Alan (Watchmen) Moore and Frank (The Dark Knight Returns) Miller to Giffen/Dematteis (Justice League International) have sent up the silliness of parading in public in long underwear as self-appointed saviors alone or in groups, but never before has it been done so masterfully on the big screen, animated or live-action.
The Incredibles is simply the best superhero film ever made. Better than the first two Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman and Superman movies. From its self-aware superhero observations on the impracticality of capes and villain monologues to its portrayal of the indignities of getting older – gaining weight, reliving glory days, working a mundane job, The Incredibles was so much more than a cartoon or kid’s movie.
Intelligent and affectionate deconstruction of comic book superhero conventions is nothing new for comic fans of the 80s when everyone from Alan (Watchmen) Moore and Frank (The Dark Knight Returns) Miller to Giffen/Dematteis (Justice League International) have sent up the silliness of parading in public in long underwear as self-appointed saviors alone or in groups, but never before has it been done so masterfully on the big screen, animated or live-action.
The Fantastic Foursome
Years ago, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) was the city’s dependable superman, rescuing cats from trees, stopping bank robbers and saving building jumpers. His cohorts in city-saving included FroZone (Samuel L. Jackson) and Elasti-Girl (Holly Hunter), not to mention a wannabe sidekick who tries to tag along, albeit unsuccessfully. But eventually property damage and personal injury lawsuits lead to the forced retirement and relocation of the heroes, now living anonymously in the suburbs, holding down 9-5 jobs and taking care of the kids. Mr. Incredible is now just Bob Parr. He married Elasti-Girl, now known only as Helen Parr. She raises their two kids, Violet (with invisibility and force field powers) and Dash (super-speed), who she tells to hide their inherited powers so they can fit in and be normal. But fitting in is not always so easy. Bob, meanwhile is an insurance claims adjuster, who can’t quite give up his do-gooder persona as he helps policyholders exploit his company’s loopholes, much to his supervisor’s chagrin.
Bob and his old running buddy FroZone, sneak out at night to go “bowling.” What they’re really doing is sitting in their cars listening for emergencies on the police band so they can anonymously save the day. Bob, in particular, needs the outlet. Soon, his desire to just help people catches the attention of others who want to help him in his quest. The offer, not surprisingly, turns out too good to be true. Madness and mayhem ensue.
The film’s most obvious influences are the Fantastic Four comics and the James Bond and Spy Kids movies, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s an action adventure, situation comedy and adult drama in one beautiful computer-generated mix. Pixar, in its first movie to showcase human characters, wisely doesn’t try to portray people realistically (anyone who saw The Hulk knows why), but as exaggerated cartoons appropriate to their characters. Despite that, it is easy to forget you are watching a cartoon, especially when the setting is the island hideaway of Mr. Incredible’s mysterious sponsor. One scene that stood out to me had some of the characters emerging from the water with their hair and outfits wet. For some reason seeing how well that was done made me realize the attention to detail Pixar’s team of animators puts into its work.
Pixar, unlike the pop culture in-joke-filled CGI films of Dreamworks like A Shark’s Tale and the Shrek movies, continues its streak of timeless animated classics. But this time, they’ve stepped it up to create a fun-filled family adventure film for all ages. You don’t need to be an animation or superhero fan to enjoy The Incredibles. You just have to be a fan of solid storytelling and good movie-making. See this movie.
Bob and his old running buddy FroZone, sneak out at night to go “bowling.” What they’re really doing is sitting in their cars listening for emergencies on the police band so they can anonymously save the day. Bob, in particular, needs the outlet. Soon, his desire to just help people catches the attention of others who want to help him in his quest. The offer, not surprisingly, turns out too good to be true. Madness and mayhem ensue.
The film’s most obvious influences are the Fantastic Four comics and the James Bond and Spy Kids movies, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s an action adventure, situation comedy and adult drama in one beautiful computer-generated mix. Pixar, in its first movie to showcase human characters, wisely doesn’t try to portray people realistically (anyone who saw The Hulk knows why), but as exaggerated cartoons appropriate to their characters. Despite that, it is easy to forget you are watching a cartoon, especially when the setting is the island hideaway of Mr. Incredible’s mysterious sponsor. One scene that stood out to me had some of the characters emerging from the water with their hair and outfits wet. For some reason seeing how well that was done made me realize the attention to detail Pixar’s team of animators puts into its work.
Pixar, unlike the pop culture in-joke-filled CGI films of Dreamworks like A Shark’s Tale and the Shrek movies, continues its streak of timeless animated classics. But this time, they’ve stepped it up to create a fun-filled family adventure film for all ages. You don’t need to be an animation or superhero fan to enjoy The Incredibles. You just have to be a fan of solid storytelling and good movie-making. See this movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment