The Incredibles will be celebrating the 20th year of its release on Thanksgiving Day this year. Though I am thankful for Brad Bird’s animated feature, it feels more like a sit around the outdoor projection with friends summer movie. So let’s start the celebrations early! You may remember the movie bagged four Oscar nominations and won Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing. The Incredibles was a huge hit financially as well, raking in $632 million at the worldwide box office on the way to becoming the fourth highest grossing film of 2004. While commercial success is important, I want to focus on how much fun the innovative film was that brought us a fresh perspective on superheroes.
The film is set in a time where the government has put a ban on all “supers” using their powers in public and has forced them into hiding. The Incredibles follows Bob, a retired superhero possessing super-human strength and endurance who loves his family but also longs for some superhero action. Things change when Bob is assigned a new mission that he needs to keep a secret from everyone, this includes his wife, Helen. Let’s round out the family… Helen possesses the ability to shape shift her body like rubber, meanwhile, Bob and Helen have three super powered children. The buildup is great, but the film is at its best when things go south and Bob is captured. His family bonds together to defeat the evil Syndrome. Who, Spoiler Alert, at one point was a super fan but turned to supervillain when he was rejected as Mr. Incredible’s sidekick.
By now, most of us have seen (dare I say) this incredible film and it’s the early interplay between Bob and Helen that likely lingers longer with us. But if you decide to watch the movie with some young ones this weekend, watch their reactions when the evil mastermind is unmasked and the incredible kids finally get in on the action.
No matter your age, you won’t be disappointed if The Incredibles is your viewing choice for the weekend.
My Verdict: This classic sitcom meets superhero romp was the hit of 2004 and is still worth watching time and time again. It receives A Cute Film Addictive Rating of 8.7/10
If you enjoy The Incredibles, there’s no need to stop there. Make it a double feature this weekend with your family and friends. I mean… after all, there is a brilliant sequel.
Girls of all ages will be pleased to learn that it’s Helen’s (Elastigirl) turn to go out and save the world while Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) is left to care for the kids.
It took 14 years for this sequel, but Incredibles 2 did not disappoint. Picking up right where the first film left off, the Parr family are still struggling with their secret identities as superhero rights are being debated. The swapping of the stereotypical gender roles was a stroke of genius on Bird’s part. So much comedy comes from Bob’s inability to look after the kids and struggling with Jack-Jack’s numerous powers. We discover more about Helen as her character is fleshed out a lot more in this second outing. Her sleuthing is full of tension and her action sequences have a lot of variety because of her superpower. Long after the credits role, viewers will still be awing over the standout sequence with a runaway train.
But the real strength of the film may be that the family’s individual problems are grounded in reality despite all the superhero antics. Violet is worried about dating, Dash is struggling with math and Jack-Jack is a confused baby. This is all relatable and that’s why this second journey works so well.
My Verdict: Incredibles 2 gets A Cute Film Addictive Rating of 8.2/10
Enjoy your movie weekend and feel free to drop me a line on how it goes.
Lee Pittman – June 29, 2024
