The Incredibles (2004)

Waste of time

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The Incredibles is possibly my favorite Pixar movie. I love the animation, I love the voice work, I love the humor, I love the story - it's just a lot of fun. Watching this movie not only entertains me, but it also, strangely, makes me want to be a better person.

I have watched this film several times and I still think it's amazing! The characters are all really interesting and so is the plot and the story line. The film has a lot of action for a cartoon which is great.

The Incredibles truly is an amazing superhero action flick with the heart only Pixar manages to do. Another great effort by Brad Bird! The characters are so lovely. The mid-life crisis stricken Bob Parr and his family who try to blend into regular suburban lives after some unfortunate events get forced into action after Bob is offered an opportunity to be super again. Craig T. Nelson nails the sound of a tired middelaged father who lives through that midlife crisis while also showcasing intense emotions when someone crosses his limits. Holly Hunter makes Helen Parr/Elastigirl a perfect example of a stern mom trying to keep everything under control. Sarah Vowell does make Violet a nervous teenage girl which fits perfectly and when she bounces off the youthful Dash they become really entertaining. But my favorites were Edna Mode and Buddy Pine/Syndrome. Did you honestly know as a kid that Brad Bird himself did the voice of Edna? I didn't, but now I know and it is so cool! Edna is so funny in her Cruella De Vil-ish attitude and her exaggerated outburst of excitement and other emotions! I was laughing so hard so many times! Syndrome must without a doubt be one of the animated villains with the highest deathcount. Oh god, I just realised how many superheroes he took down to achieve his gold. Such a tragic story of a neglected boy. Jason Lee really nailed his geeky personality, but also made him incredibly manacing when he was doing terrible things. The family aspect of the movie was also handled in a mature way by having both conflicts shown and resolved through the movie's running time. More than once the writers also managed to poke some great fun at existing family tropes which I first noticed when watching the movie recently. Overall, a great superhero action flick, but made incredible with great themes of family.

Since Incredibles 2 is coming out, I thought I'd go back and talk about this one. I'd only seen this one once, but it was good and focused on the grim realism of superheroes and their families, especially life after being a superhero. It gives messages about being different and making the most of stuff without being too pretentious. It's very relatable that way. That's not to say this movie isn't fun; it is fun and it's one of the best Pixar films since Toy Story. I wasn't much on Cars (and never saw the sequels) but this is cool. Even if you're not big on superheroes, try this one and see what you think.