A thrilling action film that packs an emotional wallop

Rating: Null/10 (25 November 2009)

THE INCREDIBLES is two hours of solid entertainment. It's got a little bit of everything, and should appeal to just about anyone. It's a kind of animated tribute to superheroes, while also being a movie about families. It's fun, it keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat, it will make you laugh, it will make you tear up, and it's full of true-to-life moments.
The movie will satisfy anyone's needs for superhero action, featuring costumed crusaders using their extraordinary powers to save the day. But the film tries not to fall into the traps of superhero clichés. It even makes light of when villains "monologue", giving the heroes time to foil their plans. The movie keeps you on your toes. Just when you think something has happened, the tables are turned.
But THE INCREDIBLES really knows how to stir up a viewer's emotions, too. You feel for the characters. The superhero children are put in very real, life-threatening danger. You hold your breath. The father thinks he's lost his family. A wife worries about her marriage. A nefarious and murderous plot is revealed. The kids triumphantly discover their own capabilities, and not a moment too soon.
The movie doesn't really hold back. It gets you concerned that something awful might happen, holding the tension. Brad Bird, who directed the film, did not come up through Pixar. He was an animation director in the industry who joined up with Pixar because he admired how they did things. (His earlier work includes THE IRON GIANT.) I think that might be why THE INCREDIBLES feels a bit darker than other Pixar films. It's rated PG. Most Pixar films, great as they are, seem overly kid-friendly and G-rated. THE INCREDIBLES is safe for kids, but it has an edge to it and it is still appealing to adult viewers.
And another thing the movie does so well, besides superhero action, is family matters. There are little moments that could have been taken from real life, from any of our real families. That makes the characters relatable. For instance, the bickering siblings at the dinner table. Or the mom who calls the dad to dinner while he's busy "watching TV". The shy teenage daughter who harbors a crush for a boy at school. The parents arguing over which exit to use on the expressway. To me, the family stuff is one of the film's strengths. It's the source for much of the emotional impact. Throughout the film, the characters are tested again and again, and we as viewers are genuinely concerned for them. Grown-up viewers (particularly parents, I'd wager) might connect more with the emotional family storyline, while the kids will enjoy the action. Different levels...
THE INCREDIBLES is kind of like a James Bond film. There are heavily guarded bases, secret hideouts, missile launches, exotic locales, and a great deal of sneaking around. The score by Michael Giacchino (which is excellent, by the way) seems to evoke some 007, too.
The movie is like a Bond film with a dash of "Watchmen" (superheroes being outlawed), a hint of the Fantastic Four (some of the powers, plus the superteam concept), and a family-oriented skew.
I really can't get over how great THE INCREDIBLES is, having just watched it for the first time in quite a while. It's fun and action-packed, and I love it for that. But it also really works up your emotions, getting you invested in the characters on the screen. It is enjoyable for the whole family, with something for kids as well as older, wiser adults. It's well-rounded. The opening prologue sets up the fictional world and gives a historical background to the movie. The music is great. The stylized end credits are visually awesome. It's an animated Pixar feature, but it's as exciting as any action/adventure film. It may not be as cutesy as other Pixar movies you may enjoy, but THE INCREDIBLES is an excellent film all-around. It's a blast.