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| Edna Mode |
The nuts and bolts of it: Written and directed by Brad Bird, the film starred Craig Nelson as Robert Parr/ Mr. Incredible, and Holly Hunter as Helen Parr/Elastigirl. Sarah Vowell as daughter Violet Parr, Spencer Fox as older son Dash Parr, Samuel L. Jackson as Lucius Best/Frozone and Brad Bird as Edna Mode complete the cast list.
The voice acting was wonderful, but then so much about this film is equally satisfying. Visually it is a feast of comic book/science fiction/spy imagery, with a healthy dose of 1960's vintage style. I could elaborate at length about the influences and references the film brings to mind, and the elements of everything from "Watchmen" to "Civil War" to "New Frontier". Then there are the riches of visual detail: from the filled wall of mementos in Bob Parr's secret room to the devices in villain Syndrome's lab. There is bountiful humor: Bird's sparkling turn as super designer Edna Mode, the puns (love archfiend "Bomb Voyage"), Violet's battles with Dash. The movie has drama, poignancy, and loads of action. It has a fantastic, symphonic soundtrack courtesy of Michael Giacchino. In truth, it's hard to think of anything this film doesn't have.
Perhaps the best tribute I can give the film is to recall the pure delight with which I first saw it. My wife and I had made it a movie date, and we both loved it. I sat there brainblasted by the incredible (of course) visuals, and the obvious love for the superhero genre from which the movie arose. With the breathless excitement of twelve year old me, I tugged on my patient wife's sleeve. "Wow, it's like the Fantastic Four meet James Bond!". "Get it, Nomanisan Island?". "Pixar did it again!". And indeed they had.
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| An Incredible family; ready for action! |
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| Dash and Violet battling over family dinner... |
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| At the mercy of Syndrome... |
One of Pixar's best, and that's saying something. And now, after fourteen years, the Incredibles are back; are any of you as stoked as I am?
12 comments:
I think my four year old daughter summed it up perfectly when the credits started rolling at the conclusion of The Incredibles in the theater way back when....."THAT WAS AWESOME!!!"
I am pretty sure that I will be watching the sequel with my now-17 year old daughter in a few weeks.
We are definitely going to the new Incredibles. My wife was pregnant with our first when we saw the original. Enjoyed every minute of it.
Would I be a hater if I said I don't like The Incredibles much and preview for the sequel did nothing to move me?
Red, Graham, Marti - Ditto! Ditto!
Wife and I are going after we see Avengers latest!
Dr. O - Yes you are a hater! Shame, shame, shame...! Lol!
I saw the first one a long time ago, but the only thing I remember is "No capes!"
Love the Incredibles - watched it about 5 times - and I can't wait for the sequel to finally be released.
I don't think there's a single element of this film that I didn't love.
(Tsk, Dr O---- Tsk-tsk-tsk! Ha!)
During the sequence where Elasti-girl (Elasti-woman?) was jumping the monorail and then infiltrating the lair, I whispered to my wife, "THIS is the visual medium that super-hero movies have been waiting for-- it's PERFECT for realizing what comic-book super-powers should look like in motion!" She of course couldn't care less about my dramaturgical musings-- she was just delighted with the film 'cause it was . . . utterly delightful!
Edna Mode/Edith Head was her favorite element. And I recall one reviewer at the time pointing out that Brad Bird would have been in danger of stealing his own film if the rest of it hadn't been so darned good as well.
Also, "I am your WIFE! I am the Greatest Good you will EVER have!" has been one of our household memes ever since. Fully and fairly transposed to either gender. And I am sure we're not alone in that practice. . . ha!
But if I can wax on just a bit more-- I think what gives the film such strong legs, esp for a middle-aged crowd like us, are the so simply-touched-on themes of ageing, of compromising dreams for pragmatism, of sacrifice for family and love of family, of fidelity, and of loving one's self in that mix. These elements aren't preachy, and have just a few moments where they're hit upon--- but it's sooooo effective, and they resonated (with me, at least) long after seeing the film.
HB
The Incredibles, and Iron Giant before it, were absolutely fantastic. I will say, however, I am a little nervous about Incredibles 2 after suffering through Tomorrowland. But perhaps that can be laid at the feet of Clooney, and not Bird.
Adam
Man, I was just about to expand on my first comment and explain just why I think the film is so excellent, and then I find that HB - apparently using some kind of telepathy to perpetrate thought-plagiarism - posted all of the points I wanted to make! :P
Seriously, though, HB, I could not have stated it better myself if I had tried.
Edo--- maybe. . . maybe we're, like, a real-life ORPHAN BLACK clone-experiment-gone-wrong-thingy? Only we're not extraordinarily talented young women. . . and we're not 30 years younger than.. uh. . ourselves. . . We're just our own doofy middle-aged selves.
And there should be more of us. Although--wow-- THIS would be the forum where we all would have inadvertently and unexpectedly drifted-- never knowing that we all came skipping out of the same petri dish! (Metaphorically speaking--) First screening question: Anyone else here a chunky, average-height, late-ish middle-aged male?? (What are the odds???)
We can form a secret confederacy-- we'll call ourselves ORPHAN BRONZE--!!!
(Ha! Sorry to skew so wildly OT-- whim o' the moment!)
HB
Thanks for all your, er, incredible comments, everyone!
I sat down and watched the film last night, in anticipation/preparation for the upcoming sequel. And of course, it was just as satisfying to watch as it was that first time in the theater. And let me echo Edo in praising HB for his detailed thoughts on the Parr family. Yes, those scenes of Elastigirl were a flawless depiction of comics action on the big screen (a particular favorite is the hilarious scene when she gets stuck between two doors). And not to be outdone, Frozone, Dash, and Violet all display their respective powers in fine visual fashion.
Oh, and HB- count me among your chunky, average-height, latish-middle aged male clones...
Orphan Bronze... So, like that kind of lame gang in The Warriors that didn't even get invited to the big summit called by Cyrus? Eh, I'm still in (even though that old saying about being suspicious of any organization that would have me as a member may apply).
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