(16 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading …Rent Movie.com movie reviews presents The Incredibles movie review a 2004 film starring Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter and directed by Brad Bird Mr. Incredible is a superhero; or he used to be, until a surge of lawsuits against superheroes submitted by the people they’ve saved forced the government to hide them in witness protection programs so they could lead normal, anonymous lives. Now known exclusively by his secret identity, Bob Parr, he lives with his wife Helen, formerly Elastigirl, and their three children Violet, Dash, and Jack Jack. He works as an insurance claims specialist, and he’s fed up with his pushy boss and his immoral profession, but his wife’s worked too hard to build a normal life for her family to abide his nostalgia for heroism. When Mr. Incredible’s offered the chance to play the role of hero again by a mysterious informant, he jumps at the opportunity, but when it turns out to be a trap set by an old nemesis he had a hand in corrupting, the whole family must reveal themselves to save Mr. Incredible and countless innocents. After creating the last great traditionally animated film of the 20th century, The Iron Giant, filmmaker Brad Bird joined top-drawer studio Pixar to create this exciting, completely entertaining computer-animated film. Bird gives us a family of “supers,” a brood of five with special powers desperately trying to fit in with the 9-to-5 suburban lifestyle. Of course, in a more innocent world, Bob and Helen Parr were superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. But blasted lawsuits and public disapproval forced them and other supers to go incognito, making it even tougher for their school-age kids, the shy Violet and the aptly named Dash. When a stranger named Mirage (voiced by Elizabeth Pena) secretly recruits Bob for a potential mission, the old glory days spin in his head, even if his body is a bit too plump for his old super suit. Bird has his cake and eats it, too. He and the Pixar wizards send up superhero and James Bond movies while delivering a thrilling, supercool action movie that rivals Spider-Man 2 for 2004’s best onscreen thrills. While it’s just as funny as the previous Pixar films, The Incredibles has a far wider-ranging emotional palette (it’s Pixar’s first PG film). Bird takes several jabs, including some juicy commentary on domestic life (”It’s not graduation, he’s moving from the fourth to fifth grade!”). The animated Parrs look and act a bit like the actors portraying them, Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter. Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee also have a grand old time as, respectively, superhero Frozone and bad guy Syndrome. Nearly stealing the show is Bird himself, voicing the eccentric designer of superhero outfits (”No capes!”), Edna Mode. Nominated for four Oscars, The Incredibles won for Best Animated Film and, in an unprecedented win for non-live-action films, Sound Editing
Comment by Evan Mozeson “Movie Fan”
# January 2, 2007,
I have to admit that The Incredibles is a great animated film. It’s a big, huge animated film made by Pixar. Yeah, it’s not as good as Finding Nemo, but it does have a good point to being another great film by Pixar. The Incredibles tells the story of retired superheroes now deciding to go back into superhero business, defeating evil, saving good guies and going on missions. There are a bunch of funny moments in the movie, especially in the trailer where Mr. Incredible has a hard time getting his belt on. But the funny thing in the movie is Edna Mode, who has her stupid accent, her nasty attitude, her funny, geeky looks. All of it makes her so evil and geeky, it is very funny — especially her screaming. Before going onto cars, Pixar has got good stuff with toys, monsters, fish and bugs, and they did an excellent job and a great deal with superheroes. The animation is very slick and stylizish and the story is very decent and big. The Incredibles is like Spider-Man, Indiana Jones, Superman and Star Wars of the new generation. Great movie and I would definitely see a sequel to the movie.
Comment by Bjorn Viberg “New York Rangers Fan”
# January 2, 2007,
The Incredibles (Widescreen 2-Disc Collector’s Edition)~ Maeve Andrews is a really good animated movie. The animation is astounding and the script is very well written. The movie starts out with Mr Incredible saving the world and then he is sued by the people that he tried to save. This means that the Incredibles are put under witness protection act so that they can live “normal” lives. I love the music and it reminds me a lot of the music used for movies such as Superman, Batman and other super hero movies. There are so many amazing scenes in this movie, like the scene with the “fat” Mr. incredible not fitting in the tube, the fight with the robot and many more. This is the best animated movie that I have seen since Finding Nemo and I therefore give it 5 well deserved stars.
Comment by The Deadly Nightshade
# January 2, 2007,
Having finally gotten around to watching “The Incredibles”, I am completely blown away. Not by the fancy computer graphics, though those are certainly a treat for the eye. Rather, I am amazed by just how versatile this movie really is, thematically speaking.
But let’s spend a bit of obligatory time talking about the technical marvel. These days, technically marvelous movies are a dime a dozen. That said, the computer graphics are wonderful given their level of detail. Simply making the characters’ hair look as realistic as it does is an amazing accomplishment, considering how difficult that is with a computer. To say nothing of keeping the hair looking realistic during those few scenes where it gets wet.
This is the tip of the iceberg of all the minor details. You don’t notice them while watching the movie just because they’re so realistic. If the details were different, or missing completely, the experience would be jarring and break the suspension of disbelief that makes the movie work. Instead, we have the realistic hair, muscles under skin that move properly, sunlight filtering through trees in the jungle, and so much more. The attention to detail really is amazing.
None of it is photorealistic, however, and that actually works to this movie’s advantage. It has a retro-futuristic-sixties look that, when combined with the heavy brass music, brings to mind a lot of the old Sean Connery “James Bond” flicks. And in line with the Bond movies, “The Incredibles” is a first-rate action movie. Sort of like “Marvel Superheroes” meets “Mission Impossible”, there’s a lot of fast, well choreographed action scenes between our family of superheroes and their powerful, well-equipped enemies. The action alone, and the lessons the heroes learn about themselves and their powers, is more than enough to make this an enjoyable movie.
But on top of everything else, “The Incredibles” is also mixed with a generous helping of Woody Allen-style mid-life angst, and here is where the thematic part comes in. Underneath the highly entertaining, bellicose action are very deep issues regarding what it means to be special, the differences between what we expect of our future and what really happens, the pain of being dissatisfied with life, and the lengths our society goes to in order to keep everything bland and the same. As Mr. Incredible himself says, our society “keeps creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity.”
If you take away the fun and the action, there is still a lot to think about, giving “The Incredibles” a whole new dimension to enjoy. This is a great movie for people who like to think and ask questions. In the manner of all the best thought-provoking movies and shows, the movie itself doesn’t answer any of these questions, making it a sort of inkblot test. Is this a parable for how society likes to beat down people who are truly special? Or is the message that all people should strive to be their best no matter what anyone else might say? The message, and how you feel about it, are left to the viewer.
But whether you focus on the action or the themes, keep in mind that this movie is rated PG for a reason. There is quite a bit of violence, and many of the bad guys bite the dust in their fights with the superheroes. There is no blood and gore, mind you, but lots of gun shots and explosions. The movie’s fights are very clearly for keeps, and it might not be appropriate for preteens. Don’t think that just because this is a Disney Pixar movie, it must be rated G.
As long as the viewer can stand that level of violence, this is an excellent movie on many different levels. Between the themes, the issues the characters all deal with, and the action, there is a great deal of depth. The ending of the movie is really satisfying on all those levels, resolving everything for the characters without resolving everything for the viewer. This is a movie for action fans and thinkers alike.
On top of all this, there are nice extras on the second DVD of the set. There are two 5 minute animated shorts: Boundin’, which was shown in the theater immediately before The Incredibles; and Jack-Jack Attack, which shows a bit of action that happens off camera in the movie. Also, there are a lot of behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the movie, secret files on all the superheroes, and much more. It is very entertaining.
Summary:
Pros:
- Great action
- Great atmosphere
- Great plot
- Great themes and issues
- Great extras on disc 2
Cons:
- Rated PG for violence