Movie Review:

The Incredibles

by Lynn B.

If you were a superhero and had to give it up to be an insurance claims adjuster you’d be depressed too. And, what if you tried on your old superheroine tights and…argh! your thighs look huge? Or maybe you’re in school and you know you can beat anyone at sports but..you are forbidden to use your powers. These are the challenges facing The Incredibles.

Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible voiced by Craig T. Nelson) was once a hot superhero but a bevy of lawsuits against the “supers” sidelined them for good. Now, Bob works as an insurance claims adjuster while his wife Helen (formerly Elastigirl voiced by Holly Hunter) is housewife and mom to Violet, a teen with invisibility and force field powers but no self-esteem, Dash, a pintsized, super-fast-like-The Flash, kid who is told he can’t be all that he can be or risk exposing the family. Then there is the baby…whose powers haven’t been revealed yet.

Bob and best pal ex-super Lucius (Frozone voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) miss the old glory days and occasionally secretly save someone as vigilantes in ski masks. When a gorgeous, mysterious woman named Mirage (Elizabeth Pena) recruits Bob for an island superhero adventure, he’s hot to go..even if his old supersuit is now way too small. On a Bond-like island, Bob impresses his hosts by “killing” a rampaging spider-robot. Knowing that his wife wouldn’t approve, Bob keeps his adventures a secret but, when his island host turns out to be Syndrome (Jason Lee) a supervillain from Mr. Incredible’s past, it’s up to Helen and the kids to come to his rescue.

With The Incredibles, Pixar, who gave us Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo, leaves its formula behind for a whole new, big scale, combo James Bond, superhero adventure. The film has a great retro look, with 1960’s cars and furniture combined with more photo-realistic jungles and waterfalls on the Bond-style island. Music is very “action spy movie” in style and a lot of fun. Voice talent is all excellent and you and your parents can totally identify with at least one character in the film whether it’s the couple worrying about weight and lost glory or the kids Violet and Dash, who don’t quite fit in at school.

The film carries a great family unity message like the “Spy Kids” films and, if you don’t like that, you can root for Dash and Violet as they gain self-esteem and realize they are each unique and valuable! Do you conform or become exceptional and be proud of it? Cool themes are all presented with humor and action fun. I thought certain scenes went on a bit too long and could have used some tightening but that isn’t a huge drawback.

This movie is rated PG

Official Movie Web Site - http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/incredibles/

Pictures courtesy of and copyright Disney/Pixar