The Incredibles (2004) - Review

14 years after the release of their first adventure, director Brad Bird returns with his family of superheroes in Incredibles 2, releasing this week. So, I thought I would take a look back at the original film, and examine how Disney Pixar was able to develop the best Fantastic 4 film ever made.

In The Incredibles, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) is a forcibly retired superhero struggling to adapt to family life after marrying another retired hero, Elastigirl (Holly Hunter). Longing for the good old days, Incredible takes an assignment for a mysterious organization, and is suddenly thrust into peril by the would-be supervillain Syndrome (Jason Lee). With dad in danger, Elastigirl rounds up her two super-powered children to save dad, and the world.

The Incredibles is one of the most beloved films. Why is that? In my estimation, it all centers on the family dynamic of the Parr's. They are relatable. The Parr family are an accurate depiction of middle class families, despite being animated and fantastical. Prior to this film, Disney hadn't made a true superhero film, yet they manage to strike the perfect chord to endear the Parr's to us. Spider-Man, the X-Men, Batman, while all being ridiculous fiction, have sympathetic stories and points of view. For this reason, those characters have resonated for decades, and it is no different with the family at the center of The Incredibles.

Bob is an insurance clerk who feels bored of and inept at being a father and husband. Going from the all-star with hundreds of fans to the reserved, quiet man. Helen is a stay-at home mom, dealing with issues of insecurity in her marriage, and the lack of an engaged co-parent. Dash, their son, wrestles with hiding his innate gifts in order to satisfy the status quo, and Violet, their daughter, is a shy loner, afraid of unleashing the powers she holds. These are all archetypical issues that thousands of stories have utilized. Change Violet's fright of her powers to sexual identity, and you have Moonlight or Brokeback Mountain. Change Mr. Incredible's boredom of mundane life from missing being a superhero to longing for the days of high school football, and you have fathers in America. While aimed at children, The Incredibles is a deeply-layered film that viewers get more out of each time. It's a film that grows up with you.

The film also presents mature themes to the audience, never treating the audience as children, despite how old they may be. Issues like suicide, marital affairs, marital trouble, hero worship and fractured families are all at play. It's the downtrodden scenes showing our heroes struggle to be a family that makes the big scene where they unite in costume for the first time to be so satisfying. The music swells, and a classic moment is created.

Speaking of music, Michael Giacchino is in fine form here. The theme is iconic (as shown by its use in the Incredibles 2 trailers), but my personal favourite piece is during Bob's training montage following his first mission for Syndrome. The up-beat track expertly conveys Bob's new lease on life, with his superhero antics reinvigorating his outlook on himself, and thereby his outlook on his family.

In addition, the voice acting is well done. While I don't think there is a standout in particular, every actor delivers a fine performance. My favourite scene in the film showcases this. While Bob is tied up and being tortured by Syndrome, Helen and the kids are in a plane, trying to rescue to him. Syndrome knows this, and launches missiles at the plane. While Syndrome taunts Bob maniacally, Mr. Incredible begs and pleads for the lives of his family, intercut with Helen who is in a mad dash to call off the attack. The children are scared and weeping, and the rapid cuts create an intense, unbreathable scene. Helen's shouts of "ABORT!" have stayed in my mind since 2004, while upon re-watch, Bob's pained "NO!" nearly brought me to tears. It's this kind of no-holds barred scene that takes the film above a surface level popcorn flick, and into the upper echelon of modern cinema.

The Incredibles is perhaps my favourite Pixar film (aside from the God-Tier Toy Story 2). It's fun and pulpy while simultaneously intricate and thoughtful. If Incredibles 2 is anywhere close to being as good as the first installment, we are in for one heck of a 1-2 punch. The Incredibles is well worth full price, and I would recommend that you SEE IT TWICE!