Possibly Pixar's Best

Rating: 10/10 (8 January 2005)

Pixar is six for six with the Incredibles. All six films have been smash hits, but more importantly, all six have been wonderful films. And every time they step up to the plate, they just hit it further out of the park.
The Incredibles is not Pixar's most visually compelling film (Finding Nemo is, by far), but it is the most entertaining, the funniest and the most mature. It cleverly combines incredibly realistic backgrounds with obviously cartoonish characters, to give the film and sense of realism and great comedy at the same time.
Mr. Incredible is a happy super-hero, engaged to the sexy Elasti-girl, and with his best friend Frozone, he lives a wonderful life. Until one day, he saves a would-be building jumper who, just plainly did not want to be saved. This opens up a rash of lawsuits against superheroes, and forces the government to relocate them (a la the Witness Protection Program), and in exchange, the heroes will just stop being heroes.
The Incredibles now live as Bob and Helen Parr with their three kids, all of who have powers of their own. Violet, who can disappear and create forcefields, is entering that awkward teen stage of life. Her younger brother, Dash, can, as his name implies, move with lightning speed and only know how to use this ability to annoy. The baby, Jack Jack, has powers that are yet to be discovered.
Bob is a claims clerk at an insurance company, with a nasty boss (brilliant small role by Wallace Shawn) and he is just plain bored. He sneaks out at night and with the help of Frozone and a police radio, still fights crimes.
The Incredibles deals so well with mid-life crisis, that one can scarcely believe that it is primarily a kids movie. Bob's hair is receding, his belly bulging and his mind longing for the past. That is why he cannot resist the call when a mysterious woman contacts him and offers him a job that only Mr. Incredible can solve.
From this point, the film is just one delight after another. From Edna, the costume lady (a less-that-subtle tribute to costume legend Edith Head) to the far away island where an evil villain is plotting his master plan, to the ingenious ways the powers are put to use, this is a movie that does not take a misstep. This film is scarier than the previous Pixar offerings, but not too instense for young children.
The best scenes in this movie are when the kids discover the extent of their powers and learn to put them to use. Like any kid in an awkward situation, they are shy, timid, and shocked when things go right. Also pay close attention to Elasti-girl when she is caught in between sliding doors.
In the simplest of terms, The Incredibles is an animated super-hero movie, but it creates complete characters and wonderfully unique situations. Like all good superheroes, The Incredibles have flaws and short-comings that get in the way of their powers. I cannot recommend this movie enough. **** out of ****.