Yawn. Pixar does it again.

Rating: 9/10 (11 November 2004)

As you probably know, "The Incredibles" is the latest effort from Pixar, the animation company that produced a few movies you might have heard of ("Toy Story", "Finding Nemo", etc.). Not a bad track record, and one that The Incredibles does nothing to damage.
The plot itself doesn't contain anything extraordinarily unique, but it does combine familiar elements in a singular way. Take one part superhero movie, add in typical familial issues, shrink it to the level of "Spy Kids", animate, and you have The Incredibles. For this family with various super powers, the problems arise when they are forced to abandon their alter-egos for a normal life. Their difficulties adjusting to suburban life are juxtaposed with common family issues that are all humorously impacted by superhero problems. Despite the borrowed themes, the film still succeeds, due to the precise amount of seriousness written into the quality story and animation.
Somewhat like the James Bond movies, "The Incredibles" smartly doesn't take itself too seriously. Often accompanied by a score of also Bond-esque wailing horns, the tone of the film is serious enough to make the events matter, yet loose enough to inform the viewer that the creators understand the clichés that pop up throughout. You can envision the writers winking when the characters use the word "monologing" to describe the speech a villain makes right before his imminent demise. In ways like this, the movie gently and self-referentially pokes fun without the not-as-kid-friendly acid tongue of Shrek 2.
Unlike previous Pixar work, which dealt primarily, with worlds unseen (toys, bugs, monsters, fish), "The Incredibles" is a human story. Superhumans, yes, but still humans. This creates a greater challenge, as making animals and toys sympathetic is significantly easier than doing the same with humans, who need to be more rounded. But the movie uses numerous pieces from recognized types to accelerate audience connection with minimal introduction, diving directly into plot advancement.
Rather than lazily using those stock characters as a crutch, the movie deftly churns the known types into unique combinations. For example, everyone knows about the practically impervious superhero (Mr. Incredible), but he isn't very often a married father of three. Everyone knows about the shy teenage girl (Violet), but how often can that girl literally be invisible? This mixture of types forms the foundation of the movie's superb humor, which is largely based on the colliding worlds. I.E., what does a superhero do when an emergency arises while en route to an important event? Simple, he checks his watch, sees that he has time, and saves the day.
Because of the familiarity of the plot and characters, this is an important feature, as the film could easily have lapsed into superfluous clichés. Some will undoubtedly cite this triteness as a slight against "The Incredibles", but I would compare it to "Raiders of the Lost Ark", in that both movies simultaneously pay homage and parody the genres they reference, while still providing an expressly entertaining two hours.
As expected, the animation is once again stellar, not in an ultra-realistic way, but in the fully three-dimensional manner that Pixar has established. The character design is what stands out though. Since the story is set in a comic book world, the characters are all exaggerated in one way or another. Dash, a fourth-grader, is excessively short; his sister Violet is supremely slender; Mr. Incredible has a massive torso, etc. These physical features serve as personality traits of their own, and further acquaint the audience with the fictional cast. The rest of the world is similarly semi-real, which effectively matches the semi-real nature of the story and characters and completes the look for which Pixar is known.
Again the voice talent excels without distracting. Too often ("Shark Tale"), animated movies try to make the vocal actors the stars in lieu of highlighting a quality story. By generally eschewing A-list names for less famous but equally talented actors like Craig T. Nelson (Coach) and Holly Hunter (Thirteen) whose voices ring a bell but don't stand out, "The Incredibles" presents the animated equivalent of an ensemble cast. Even Samuel L. Jackson, whose voice is probably the most recognizable, doesn't draw undue attention.
This is the first Pixar film rated PG, and the rating is fully justified, due to plenty of action, explosions, and even a touch or two of innuendo (although it will likely go unnoticed by young children). If "The Incredibles" were live action instead of animation, a PG-13 would definitely have been the result. I wouldn't advise many against seeing it; just be forewarned that the movie is more mature than previous such films. The crises are a little more serious, the danger is more "real," the humor is edgier. Not better or worse, just different.
Following in the metaphorical footsteps of Looney Tunes, "The Incredibles" continues Pixar's tradition of animation excellence in entertaining both children and adults. While this film is a step in a more mature direction, it maintains the youthful exuberance and wry sense of humor that permeate all of Pixar's work.
Bottom Line: One of the year's best. Call it a high 8 of 10, maybe a 9 as it grows on me.