The Incredibles
by Mark Sells
Since Toy Story first graced the screen back in 1995, Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios have been the perfect one two punch, dominating the box office while reshaping and pioneering the computer animation landscape. The Incredibles marks the sixth collaborative effort between the two, and it is easily the most ambitious. It's the first time an outsider has been asked to direct a Pixar project; it's the first time Pixar has ever received a rating higher than a G; and it's the first time a Pixar film features all human characters. Clocking at 115 minutes, the film is a technical marvel -- the longest and most sophisticated CG animated film to date.
Bob Parr, aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) used to be one of the world's greatest superheroes, rescuing kittens from trees, children from burning buildings, and the world from super villains. But that was fifteen years ago, before a litigious society began suing the Incredibles, forcing them into an early retirement. Now, Bob and his wife Helen, formerly Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) have taken on civilian identities, forced to live routine lives with their three gifted children, all of them making every effort to act "normal." It's particularly difficult for Bob -- as a clock-punching insurance claims adjuster, he becomes easily frustrated with his boss, his waistline, and his overall inability to help people. So it's no surprise that when offered the chance to play hero again by the mysterious Mirage, he jumps at the opportunity and doesn't tell a soul.
Back and forth, Mr. Incredible goes between secret missions and home, all under the guise of insurance business. Progressively, the missions get more difficult -- bigger, stronger,
faster robots to defeat. Inevitably, Mr. Incredible meets his match and fails to return home. This has Helen worried. After making a few calls, she is shocked to discover the truth about her husband -- that he has been lying to her and resuming his secret identity. Rather than sit idle, she immediately goes back into action as Elastigirl. And with kids in tote, she heads to a secret tropical island to rescue her husband. Unbeknownst to her, the fate of the world hangs on the mission.
The technical achievement in the picture is enough to make one speechless. Out of the most difficult things to do in animation, Pixar takes on each one with unbridled enthusiasm. Clothing, water, skin tones, eye definition -- all taken to the next level. Most prominently, you will notice the effects involving hair -- Mr. Incredible's receding tuft, Violet's shadowy locks, Dash's blonde hair whipping in the wind, or Syndrome's pointy do. Each is handled with masculine or feminine movements and occasionally, the texture is so finite that you can glimpse the individual strands.
The film was written and directed by Brad Bird, who was responsible for 1999's The Iron Giant, an underrated gem about a young boy and a robot caught in the middle of the Cold War era. The Incredibles has a similar 1950s noirish feel. The story is based on situations that would occur to real people, but of course, with a twist. The father is bored and dissatisfied with his job, the mother is stretched in all kinds of directions, the son is hyperactive, and the teenage daughter is shy and withdrawn. The importance of emphasizing normalcy is that, while the characters have superpowers, they are grounded by their routine lives. These lives connect with audiences, who in many ways can relate and laugh at the exaggerations. It's a simple technique, but one that goes a long way in relaying its message -- that it's important to balance dreams with family obligations and responsibility.
The Incredibles is everything that an animated film should be. It looks beautiful and has great characters, action and humor. The story deals with modern family issues and characters you can relate to, even though they have super powers. Says Bob, “No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again!” For every superhero around to clean things up, there is an equally dynamic super villain to mess things up again. With The Incredibles, you wouldn't want it any other way.
©2004 Mark Sells
CineScene
