The Incredibles

In 2004, Brad Bird directed the Pixar film, The Incredibles, becoming the studio’s first outside director. Starring Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Pena, and Brad Bird. It grossed $631 million and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Sound Editing.

Following the Super Registration Act, all superheroes have been forced into retirement. Now, Mr. Incredible (Nelson) and Elastigirl (Hunter) are living a quiet life in the suburbs as Bob and Helen Parr. But when Bob gets an offer from a mysterious woman named Mirage to relive his glory days, he jumps at the call. However, he gets in trouble and needs help from his family to save the day from a diabolical mastermind.

The Incredibles is quite a fun movie that deconstructs a lot of superhero conventions. At the same time, it’s got an incredibly catchy soundtrack and really relatable characters.

The film really does turn a lot of superhero conventions on their head, such as capes. A lot of people agree that a cape looks really good on a suit, Mr. Incredible included. However, this shows what can happen with them and it results in quite a few grisly deaths. Also, it details the cleanup and collateral damage that results from all the fights or mistakes made by heroes and their villains.

The soundtrack is also fun and jazzy. There’s lots of one-off cues that really make sense and the scenes with Mr. Incredible getting into shape really fit well with the track. It helped make it feel like a 60s spy movie, which is probably a theme Bird was going for.

The characters are also made quite well and are understandable, especially in context with their powers. Frozone has ice control and he’s a chill guy, Mr. Incredible is super strong, but thanks to the Registration Act, he feels constrained and needs to vent. Elastigirl/Mrs. Incredible can stretch and is pulled in so many different directions. Dash has super speed, and is an incredibly hyperactive young man and Violet can disappear and create force fields while being a teenage shy girl that wants her space.

The Incredibles is a great movie in every possible way and sits up there with one of the best that Disney’s done. 
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