The Incredibles from a deeper perspective

Rating: 9/10 (3 February 2014)

The most profound and prevalent theme the movie, "The Incredibles," has to offer is its paradoxical correlation between superiority and conformity. Being superior entails a relationship between two or more individuals. In this movie, the main characters were considered super heroes due to intrinsic physical abilities that enabled them to do what the average man couldn't. Throughout the first scene of the movie, the viewer is reminded how society deemed these individuals. Super heroes in "The Incredibles" were initially lauded because they devoted their powers and lives to noble causes and the maintenance of justice. However, in an era of American history that championed normalcy, being superior was not desirable. Conformity embraces those that seek to fit in and shuns those that exhibit any differences. While being "super" implies an advantage, the movie captures poignantly portrays having super human abilities as a disadvantage. Hence, the viewer is forced to come to the following paradoxical conclusion. While having super powers was once advantageous, in a society that emphasizes conventionality, being different in any sort of way is deemed unacceptable. On a figurative level, I guess one could ponder the statement the film tries to make as the protagonist struggles to live his mundane life. While he is not destitute or poverty stricken, Bob Parr is trapped within the confines of 21st century suburbia. Ironically, the world's strongest man is powerless against the forces and burdens or society, and his coerced into taking a terrible job as opposed to living out his ambitions. While no one can relate to the super human strength that our main character exhibits, many can empathize with his loss of ardor and vigor in the face of the banalities of life. Bob Parr was once Mr. Incredible, conveying this through his super powers and his steadfast dedication towards justice. Society has forced this man to hide his powers and subdue his natural inclinations to help those in need. Many adults entering their respective fields often experience this type of loss as they ascend up their respective ranks. Lawyers seeking to represent the oppressed or prosecute the wicked often become disenchanted with the sleaziness of state and federal bureaucracies. Doctors hoping to treat patients who lack financial means often run into trouble a myriad of factors, such as insurance problems, inadequacies of public hospitals, and the disparity of wealth between private practice and public health officials. Businessmen hoping to reallocate wealth in this country and solve our nation's crushing inequality tend to succumb their personal whims and horde more wealth for themselves. If you still don't believe this movie demonstrates the theme of the loss of nobility in the face of conformity, and how this manifests itself in the workplace, consider Bob's regular job. Bob is an insurance salesman, a profession dedicated to helping those affected by adversity. However, his insurance company, like the society around it, has abandoned its morals. Rather than help those affected by tragedy, Bob is instructed to simply let his clients wallow in their misery. When he attempts to finance claims beneath his boss's nose, he is censured and nearly fired. The connection I want to reiterate boils down to relationship between being super and being normal. Whereas one could accomplish the former through superhuman abilities or standing up for what's right, it seems though people lose this throughout their adult lives. Being normal is easier than being super. If society continues to advocate for conformity and repress any ability that would enable one to transcend the burdens of life, then we will lose all of our superheroes, both fictional and non fictional.