Simply Incredible..

Rating: 9/10 (14 June 2018)

As we approach Pixar's 25th anniversary, many people like to list their favourite Pixar film. Some list Up, Ratatouille, Toy Story, Inside Out, Wall-E, and as of recent even Coco. The Incredibles, is not always as well-noticed as these films and in my view actually underrated of its brilliance and undertones of social tensions and familial dynamics.
The film opens with Superheroes like Mr. Incredible being adored by the public stopping crime, fending off evil and generally enjoying life. But then as time passes, mistakes begin to happen as these superheroes powers' lead to injuries, damages and other stresses on the populace. Much like 1950's America, fear is stoked and people begin to demand these superheroes be stopped, they are different, dangerous, out of control and are doing more harm than good. Mr. Incredible who at the end of this montage has married another super Elastigirl are forced to become ordinary, take menial jobs, bury their powers and live in suburbia.
Some years pass, and we now see both heroes living as ordinary people,
Mr.Incredible(Bob Parr) stuck working in an office block as an insurance advisor, and Elastigirl(Helen Parr) as a housewife. They are now parents to two kids Violet and Dash, along with a baby Jack-Jack. There are so many great lines in the film , one incredible choice by writer/director Brad Bird after another that as a kid when I first saw this film in 2004, didn't pick up on and now see with clarity.As the film goes forward, we begin to take notice of the family dynamic and how each one is bitter, torn and suffocating over the restraints the world has placed on them.
Their son Dash whose superpower is extreme speed can not try out for sports because his mom fears he will expose his powers, and endanger them. He is upset and takes his frustrations out at school getting in trouble and acting out. Violet is socially awkward, stuck not knowing how to socialise out of fear of exposing her power and can not express her emotions. Meanwhile their father Mr. Incredible, voiced by Craig T. Nelson is stuck in a mid-life crisis angry at the boredom of his life, hiding their powers, no longer helping achieve the fame and notoriety he once had.
He sneaks out of the home with his friend another superhero Frozone voiced by Samuel L. Jackson to save people, fight crime, etc... This puts him at sharp odds with his wife voiced by Holly Hunter who is tired of her husband's recklessness, inability to move on from the past, and endangering their family's well-being.
This film is funny especially EDNA MODE, its serious, tragic at times and also the rare blend of action and reality that will bring kids and adults together. Im happy that Brad Bird who also did the Iron Giant a film that was overlooked due to studio mismanagement, finally got recognition for his brilliance here and also with Ratatouille. Every character is relatable and you feel their frustrations, pain and fear of the situations their in. As in the Iron Giant, Bird is able to create serious situations with his characters that pull at you, like the plane sequence and the terror as Helen tries to save her children from harm, or when Bob breaks down thinking his family has been killed and nearly snaps in a dark scene but one that makes sense if you were in his shoes.
These are moments you don't usually in a kids' film, and the action and familial dynamic really captures what most families super or not go through at some point or another. Even Syndrome a villain who is ruthless is three-dimensional because he recognizes his flaws, and is driven by the fact that he was told he could not be what he wanted due to being different. Even the minor characters step up like kid on the bike who was funny as well, and of course Bird's work voicing the great Edna Mode. This film while not emotionally as powerful as Up or Inside Out, is brilliant in its scene of familial bonds, action and power of how differences should bring us together instead of tearing us apart.
PS: CANT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL!
9.5/10