Those folks out there planning superhero based movies, be sure to take note. “”The Incredibles””, the latest work from Pixar Studios, provides a film that both satirizes, and takes great reverence towards, this whole genre.
There are still plenty of comical moments, as there can be expected in any of Pixar’s work, but lots of visually impressive action sequences, a campy but still cool villain (voiced by Jason Lee, who played comic-lovers ‘Brodie”” and ‘Banky’ in the Kevin Smith movies), and (!) character development–certainly more development among the leads than in many live-action featuresThe story concerns the titular character, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), a.k.a. Bob Parr, and his family. Bob seemingly lives a mundane existence, but occasionally has to don his costume and use his super strength to pursue villains like Bomb Voyage (Dominique Lewis), and rescue the occasional cat from a tree. Due to some lawsuits from citizens–including a suicide victim who didn’t want to be saved–Mr. Incredible and other heroes must go underground, never to resume their alter egos or use their special powers.Over the next 15 years, Bob lives a quiet life in Metroville, along with his wife Helen (Holly Hunter), the former Elastigirl–thanks to her stretching abilities, and their kids Dashiell (Spencer Fox), or ‘Dash’ because of his super speed, Violent (Sarah Vowell), and Jack (Eli Fucile). The family has to keep their true natures secret, whether it’s the parents, Dash and his blazing quickness, or Violent and her skill at becoming invisible and generating force fields, while infant Jack seems ‘normal’. Bob spends his days working at the claims department of an insurance company, helping people against the wishes of his boss Gilbert Huph (Wallace Shawn), and listening to police scanners with his friend Lucius (Samuel L. Jackson), who is also the ex-hero Frozone, known for his freezing talents.Bob is not content to be a humdrum 9 to 5 guy, and continually keeps looking out for crimes and criminals, as he does with Lucius and the scanner (they tell their wives they’re going bowling). After a day at work goes awry due to this tendency, he receives an offer from a mysterious woman named Mirage (Elizabeth Pena). It seems that a government built robot has gone berserk, and someone powerful needs to put the machine in its place without destroying it (apparently it’s a very valuable piece of equipment)…The movie manages to cover a wide range of topics, from issues of identity and marital problems, to the basic comic book variety such as stopping a madman from taking over the world (or something like that). There is a lot going on thematically, and the film handles all its story lines well, but the real thrill for many is seeing the animation. The visuals definitely do not disappoint, especially those of the flying machines and robots (called omnidroids) that the villain utilizes, and the water sequences—which give the impression of real liquid.[pagebreak]””The Incredibles”” was directed by Brad Bird, who had previously the underrated “”The Iron Giant””. His enjoyment of 50s/60s era entertainment shows here, from black and white newsreels, to the cars and outfits, to the James Bond-esque music and the look of the closing credits–and speaking of Bond, the main antagonist even has a volcano lair. There is a recollection of the period when masked heroes first started popping up on TV.Bird also contributes his voice to Edna, or ‘E’, a demure fashion designer who works with supermodels but really enjoys working with superheroes. This is probably the most fun out of all the characters, whether talking about her various products, shows in ‘Milan’, and especially the pratfalls of wearing capes–one wonders why this hazard never occurred to other costumed ones before. Edna not only has good lines and scenes, but provides a chance to ponder over where heroes’ outfits really come from–and also covers the idea of clothing that adapts to it’s wearer’s special abilities (ex.-going invisible).The animation, plot, and themes are all strong points…with the down side being the realization that many similar, live-action movies pale in comparison. It’s possible that the CGI animation allows for more activity, but there’s also all the covering of certain points–such as outfits adopting to wearer’s abilities, and heroes with brains ‘and’ brawn–and, again, the development thing. There are similarities here to “”X-Men””, of having to hide from the world, as well as fitting in at school (a problem for anyone)–be it dating or being able to be part of a sports team. This is the first of Pixar’s films to be rated ‘PG’, and some of the moments, such as the up and downs of Bob and Helen’s marriage–such as the less-than-subtle ways things improve between the two after Bob changes careers–and also the moments when the city of Metroville is threatened. Still, given what appears in children’s entertainment these days, it all isn’t so bad, and there is a good moral here about not having to be ashamed of one’s self.””The Incredibles”” is, overall, a thoroughly enjoyable flick, both in how it looks, and how the story–and individuals involved–play out. The main feature is preceded by the short “”Boundin'””, which is a fun little bit about a sheep, albeit with a basic plot resolution.Now if only “”The Incredibles”” could have more of what happened to Bomb Voyage…Grade: AEM Reviewby Andrew Haas11/05/04