The Layman's Word: The Incredibles

Rating: Null/10 (14 November 2004)

What a film! The Incredibles is simultaneously fancifully melodramatic and viscerally real. It is fun and smart in simple ways, but not without filmic savvy. Honestly, it's the best superhero movie I have ever seen.
Pixar has broken the mold.
It was good to see (or hear, as it were) Craig T. Nelson back in action again. Sarah Vowell, a funny and talented writer and radio commentator, proves herself in this - her first film role. All the VO work was top-notch, but I was most impressed by young Spencer Fox as Dash. His delivery is flawless. He really had his character nailed.
From a cinematographic point of view, this movie is ingenious. Every shot is emotive. In a live-action movie, cinematography can only do so much. Most of the emotional energy needs to be generated by the actors; the best shots and angles and set dressing in the world won't make a bad performance any better. But in animated films, the actors' performances are designed down to the smallest nuance; this, I believe, can make an animated film's energy more reliable. The camera work in The Incredibles is a shining example of how competent film makers can make this advantage work.
I was worried that the plot would be rife with pop-culture references. Thankfully, that was not the case. The movie's story is adequately fantastic, but it stays grounded all the way through. That is to say it is a human story. And it's interesting - which is something even many live-action movies fail to accomplish these days. All the characters, even gimmicky Edna Mode, were functional. There was no one in this movie whose sole purpose was to deliver chillingly bad topical zingers and catchphrases; and I find that quite refreshing. Every character had a purpose, and that makes the plot. When you pack a film with allegorical one-liners about society or politics, you de-emphasize the plot. But this movie, as I said, stays grounded. It has a good story to tell and it doesn't sell its soul to marketers (see: Shark Tail).
All told, The Incredibles is probably the most entertaining movie I have seen in years. It is what a good movie should be, and it made me feel the way a good movie should make people feel - happy and excited and inspired. Watching it, I couldn't help grinning like a goofball. I was actually giddy. Five out of five. Good work, Pixar.