That's Incredible...Sure It Must Have Been Used...But I'm Feeling Lazy!

Rating: 8/10 (30 March 2005)

What could I possibly add to any discussion of The Incredibles? Its popularity is worldwide, and its critical success sewed up with an Oscar. It is an incredible movie in many ways. It has some crazy, innovative animation that will leave your jaw dropping at times. It has some humorous looks at humanity that few films explore. It is in every sense a family film when so many pretend to be just that. But is it THAT incredible? Don't get me wrong. I loved the film. I thought how clever this was and all that, but I wasn't bowled over like I had been when I saw Finding Nemo...or Shrek...or even Shrek 2 or Shark Tale. It must be me. I thought the film was very good...even excellent...but not the best. The story was just not strong enough for me nor were the characters as to give them that kind of attention. The family members...and I am not going to give a general overview of plot when so many have done so...were interesting characters but when separated had little of the specialness of other animated characters when standing alone. I guess if you wanted Dora in Nemo or the Donkey in Shrek to do a film as the focal characters - they might be able to carry a film on their narrow shoulders (or fins) if possible. Would any of these characters be able to do that? Let's face it the most interesting character was the crazy, short costume designer(an obvious and funny homage to the late, great Edith Head). I thought the villain in particular was very weak. I'm not panning the film. It is a great animated film and is very funny and so on. I just don't know if it has earned all the praise lavished on it. Anyway, I want to recommend this film as a fun film and definitely as a fun FAMILY film. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunetr, especially Samuel Jackson as Frozone, and all the rest do a great job suiting their voices to characters and breathing life into this animated classic. (Yes, I did like the film.)