Incredible detail *spoilers, detailed*

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2004)

I saw this movie twice in the same weekend, and I am definitely going to rate it 15 out of 10. Just about everyone who has rated this film positively has said much of what I have to say, so I won't repeat the gushy stuff.
There is a part of my brain that just complains a lot when a cartoon or a live-action superhero movie fails to convey a physical consistency. I loved Superman, but his feats were not as convincing even if the special effects were top-notch for its time. Spider-Man had that real feel to it, but the Incredibles really raises the bar. Pixar doesn't try to go photo-realistic but under the cartoony look there's a tangibility to the world of the Incredibles that goes past most live-action movies.
See if you spotted or can spot (the next time you go) these finer details: - Mr Incredible lifted his car more convincingly than any live-action or animated superhero, ever. The balance, the muscle movement, and the whole scene was way more real than I expected. - Dash discovered nuances of his speed just as a boy of his age would. The surprise that he was fast enough to run on water. Exhilaration resulted in more speed and confidence. Discovered his sparring superiority (dodge, super-speed pummel) Even how he enjoyed talking about it with an equally excited dad. Ran into a swarm of bugs (how come the Flash doesn't?) - A smart bad guy henchman who throws dirt into water to track an invisible Violet. Other henchmen with apparently real-world feelings (running to the one who fell with the precise coconut toss) - Elastigirl having to feel for the bad guy's face in the elevator since she couldn't see him to punch him. Her pleading with the missile deployed to abort the attack. Putting away the KO'd heavy henchmen in the closet was so very real-feeling - Violet not being used to her powers under pressure, since she never superheroes before (but no problem stopping Dash). Rolling a force field like a solid ball to escape! - I really felt Mr Incredible throwing his back out in his first Omnidroid encounter - Someone already mentioned the lack of water vapor in the flaming building, and resulting dehydration that stopped Frozone from freezing things - Edna mode's brushed the icky crushed tissues to the counter top-disposal with rolled up papers, also tossed the damaged costume into the trash. The style was so real in spite of the exaggerated small size - The perspective in the jumps and falls in the island's rain forest - The very real feel of the office doorknob (crushed), the car door frame that Mr I grabs, the steak plate getting cut to the table (but not the whole table as is often clichéd), the sphere- bubble-car that Mr I lands on, the way he punches the dent out in the roof, the real-feeling way the shell lands... - The tree Mr I shook to release the kitten made me jump when he slammed it in the opposite direction to end the car chase, that was more real than I've ever seen.
So the conclusion is that Live-Action superheroes sell because they are more convincing than cartoons, but 3-D animation of this quality and detail really really achieves the effect that both live-action and 2-D animation Superhero storytellers would die for.