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Movie Review - The Incredibles (2004)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
Brad Bird |
| Starring: |
The voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jason Lee |
| Rated: |
PG (for action violence) |
| Length: |
115 minutes |
| Genre: |
Animation/Family |
| Tagline: |
Save The Day |
| Studio: |
Walt Disney |
| Website: |
The Incredibles |
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PLOT
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Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) is just a good, old-fashioned superhero fighting for truth, justice, and all
that's right in the world. He's got a legion of fans, he's been on the cover of magazines, and he has the
biggest chin this side of Robert Z'Dar. Things go from great to even better when he marries his
small-in-the-waist-but-big-in-the-booty fellow superhero - Elastigirl (Holly Hunter).
Unfortunately, one selfish man's suicide attempt ruins everything. Mr. Incredible saves his life, but the man
claims he "ruined his death," and therefore sues our superhero. This triggers a chain of lawsuits, prompting
the government to shut down the entire superhero business and forcing the heroes to now lead regular lives.
Will they be able to properly adjust to their new roles? The best Pixar movie since Toy Story and
Toy Story 2 ensues.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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I don't use the following term much (unless I'm referring to my biceps or my reviews), mainly because I think
it's overused to the point of losing its significance, but there are scenes in The Incredibles that are
just awesome to watch. Early in the movie I just stopped taking notes and sat back and enjoyed the show. This
is an absolute visual and aural treat.
As I already pointed out, it's easily the best CGI-animated movie since the Toy Story duo. It's not as
funny as Toy Story (although there is a lot of humor here), but the story is just as good (if not better),
and there are more visuals to impress us. It contains some genuinely exciting action sequences. Remember the
speeder bike chase through the forests of Endor in Return of the Jedi? Well, I don't want to be accused
of hyperbole, but there are a couple of scenes in The Incredibles that come close to matching the
excitement we all felt when we first watched that speeder chase.
In regard to humor, the movie isn't an all-out joke-a-thon, but the laughs are used to great effect in various
spots, particularly as we watch Bob Parr (formerly Mr. Incredible) try to deal with being an insurance salesman
who is forced to drive to and from work in a Yugo-sized car. He's got a family now and must deal with the
turmoil a wife and two kids can bring.
But the great thing about The Incredibles is that it doesn't have to be a non-stop comedy to be effective.
The movie's real strength is its superhero aspect. I'll use my own cliche here and say we get the best of both
worlds in that regard. There are many funny spoofs of the superhero genre and its cliches: a French bad guy named
Bomb Voyage, a very funny look at the drawback of using capes on a superhero's uniform, a discussion on how big
of an Achilles' heel "monologue-ing" can be, etc. But despite the spoofing, there's a really good superhero story
that pulls in the viewers and then knocks 'em out with all the action and excitement you'd expect from Spider-Man
or the Fantastic Four. However, there's one huge benefit of the CGI animation - the characters can extend their
powers and abilities in ways Tobey Maguire can't touch.
In summary, and I know this is a bold statement, but it's one I'm willing to make, The Incredibles is the
most entertaining "general audience" movie of the year. Yes, it's even better than
Spider-Man 2 because I didn't have to suffer through Kirtsen Dunst and her
woeful "go get 'em Tiger" dialogue. If you're looking for pure entertainment that the entire family can enjoy,
then The Incredibles is worth your hard-earned dinero.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- This is the first movie by Pixar to receive a rating higher than G in the USA, this one being PG.
- At 115 minutes, it is the longest CGI-animated film to date.
- Craig T. Nelson was in The Skulls with Paul Walker who will be starring in Into the Blue with
Josh Brolin who was in The Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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There's nothing here for mama to object to. There are some explosions, and there is some animated violence, but
if you have no problem letting your children watch Wile E. Coyote take a beating, then you shouldn't have any
problems here.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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I saw the trailer and thought the movie looked pretty good. Then I saw the movie and came away impressed that
the movie was even better than the trailer led me to believe.
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THE GIST
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What are you looking for? An original Pixar movie? Check. A movie that's fun for the whole family? Check.
A movie that both spoofs and pays homage to the superhero genre? Check. The Incredibles has a little
of everything. It moves a little slow at times during the first half, but by the time Mr. Incredible and gang
get back into the superhero business, it's time for you to just sit back and enjoy.
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