Great for the kids, but better for the kid in you...

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2004)

Contrary to those who claim that, if you remember the 60's, you weren't really there, "The Incredibles" is a wild ride back to the future as it looked during the New Frontier. The plot recalls some of the better-known thought experiments of the modern comics era -- "The Dark Knight Returns" or even "Watchmen," where caped superheroes are seen as the problem rather than a solution to evil, and are banished to anonymity.
Set in a 60's-era ambiance, "The Incredibles" follows Mr. Incredible through his new government-ordered existence as another ordinary guy (albeit a massively strong, hugely-muscled ordinary guy). You can feel him longing for the good old days of costumed daring-do as he strains to fit into his tiny office cubicle and his even tinier car (modeled after the Nash Metropolitan, the smallest car ever produced by Detroit -- just one of many ingenious touches by the writers and animators).
As other reviewers point out, this film has a deeply old-school, retro heart -- it extols the virtues of the nuclear family without being arch or ironic; it speaks to the importance of seeking excellence in all we do, despite the puny nay-sayers who surround us these days (like the ones who torment Mr. Incredible through most of the film).
Most of all, it establishes who the REAL Bad Guys are -- the nebbishes who insist on conformity to mediocre standards, the ones who don't want little Junior to get his/her ego bruised at the soccer match, the proponents of giving trophies to everyone who participates. "The Incredibles" dances all over their ilk, and has audiences cheering in the process.
There is enough fun here for kids to enjoy, but don't let "The Incredibles" fool you -- this is a movie for the kid inside all of us grown-ups.