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By Johnathan Kroncke
By Johnathan Kroncke
Pixar has gone and blown away audiences and competition… again.
Highlighted by witty dialogue, a clever plot and gorgeous scenery, “The Incredibles” is an amazing accomplishment in computer animation and it truly lives up to its title.
Mr. Incredible, a.k.a. Bob Parr, was at the height of his game back in the glory days of superheroes. Back then it was not uncommon to see Frozone, Gazer Beam or any one of the supers battling it out with your average thug and your not-so-average super villain right in broad daylight.
But when lawsuits started piling up against the supers for the damage they caused and other ridiculous claims, the government ordered that the supers take on their secret identities as their only identities and become normal like everyone else.
Fast-forward to 15 years later when a frustrated Parr is confronted with an offer to once again return to being a superhero and do what he thinks is a service to mankind. He gladly takes up the offer but is soon hit with the harsh reality that this is not what he signed up for.
Soon, his wife, a.k.a. Elastigirl, along with their two children, Violet and Dash, must use their powers to aid the former Mr. Incredible and prove that superheroes are not the thoughtless muscle-brains they were made up to be 15 years ago.
Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this movie, aside from the breathtaking visuals it provides, is the script. The plot was never overwritten to include too many different events, as was the case with “Van Helsing.” Nor did it ever seem to be too childish or immature, despite the fact that it is meant for a more juvenile audience.
The story was simple and straightforward with a few small twists that were completely within the realm of possibility and always entertaining. At no time did the plot ever seem too thick and cluttered with things that looked cool but didn’t further the storyline, like most movies nowadays.
The jokes were funny and, more to the point, they appeal to all ages. Pixar has a habit of adding in certain lines that no child would understand. Case in point, some guards are watching the news coverage of the city’s destruction when one says that every time a person runs, they should take a shot. If anyone under the age of 15 gets that, then it really is sad.
However, as solid as the script is and how interesting the characters are, nothing about this movie will hit audiences harder than the animation. Pixar’s works should be dipped in gold and displayed in a museum for their truly “incredible” visuals.
Pixar also has a habit of trying something new with each movie it makes in order to test itself and make the film better.
For “The Incredibles,” Brad Bird, the director, brought in a team of hair and costume designers and actually designed the clothes and superhero outfits separately from the characters, as if they were really clothes. This ingenious idea works out incredibly well as in certain close-up shots, you can actually see the fibers of the clothing.
Other fantastic scenes include the ultra-high tech island base of the movie’s deranged villain, Syndrome, as well as the home of Mr. Incredible’s costume maker, Edna. While she seems quite eccentric, Edna is actually a highly organized, albeit strange, woman who lives in a modern dream house.
Bird, whose resume includes director of “The Iron Giant” and character designer for “The Simpsons,” struck gold when he landed “The Incredibles.”
Everything, from the hair that waves in a character’s face to the clothing that they wear is so realistic that soon audiences will not be able to tell the difference between live action and computer animation — it’s almost scary.
There is nothing more to say than that “The Incredibles” is nothing short of its name and well worth the time and money, guaranteed.