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"Superhero Spoof "The Incredibles"
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| Fantastic four! Dash, Violet, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl assume the position in "The Incredibles" |
Forget Martin Scorsese’s take on a dashing young Howard Hughes in “The Aviator,” the return of Clooney’s heroes in “Ocean’s Twelve” or the wickedly cast sequel “Meet the Fockers.” The most important big studio movie of the fall season has to be Disney/Pixar’s computer-animated superhero spoof “The Incredibles.” Here’s why…
Not only have all 5 Disney/Pixar films (“A Bug’s Life,” “Monsters, Inc.,” the “Toy Story” films and last year’s “Finding Nemo”) grossed a combined $2.6 billion worldwide, but they are all highly regarded as groundbreaking computer-animated classics. Expectations are obviously high for “The Incredibles” to follow suit, but its release comes at a time when relations between Disney and Pixar are at an all-time low. Another big hit for Pixar would give company founder Steve Jobs even more clout to sever his relationship with Disney when their deal ends next year (with the release of “Cars”), leaving him free to take his very lucrative business elsewhere.
As if that wasn’t enough, “The Incredibles” is also expected to leap tall buildings in a single bound with Pixar’s now-trademark brand of quick, witty, sharp, multi-leveled humor that will appeal to both kids and adults. Finally, the film is written and directed by Brad Bird, who is long-overdue for a little redemption after his last film, the little-seen animated gem “The Iron Giant,” was horribly undersold by Warner Bros. when it grossed a paltry $23 million domestically in the summer of 1999.
So, how incredible is “The Incredibles?” Well, not very, unfortunately. While the film certainly makes Pixar 6 for 6 as far as sheer entertainment value is concerned, it is by far the weakest of the 6. Sure, it’s filled with the same brand of simplistic, finely detailed, eye-pleasing computer animation that Pixar has come to define, but it is simply too long, too uneven and not nearly as clever as its predecessors.
Fifteen years ago, Bob Parr – a.k.a. Mr. Incredible – was the go-to guy for fighting crime in the big city. When an unfortunate accident forces him and his family to retreat to the suburbs, Bob finds himself defeated by even deadlier enemies – a bulging waistline and a soul-crushing job at an insurance company. Bob’s wife – a.k.a. Elastigirl – is content with domestic bliss if it means the safety of their two super-powered children, but Bob still secretly hopes for another piece of the action. He gets his wish when he is summoned to a mysterious island for a top secret mission, but when he soon finds himself in over his head, it’s up to The Incredibles to come to the rescue, save the world and, most importantly, save the family.
With hoards of comic book adaptations and superhero movies flying off the Hollywood shelf these days (many of them making a ton of cash at the box office), the time is certainly right for a spoof of the genre. Actually, “The Incredibles” is hardly the first film to do so, but if you compare it to 1999’s disappointing “Mystery Men” and 2000’s little-seen “The Specials,” it is by far the best. Writer-director Brad Bird’s sense of humor is appropriately tongue-in-cheek, and the stylistic, retro-fueled Pixar animation gives the story a gee-whiz comic book sensibility that most live-action superhero films haven’t been able to capture.
The problem is that by taking on a more adult theme, Pixar loses some of its footing. With its first PG-rated film, there are times when the violence – as subtle and as sparse as it is – just doesn’t mesh well with the overall vibe of the story (not to mention that it might be too scary for kids). And while adults may relate to the theme of sacrificing personal passions for the good of raising a family, kids might be bored by these slower-moving moments of intimacy.
Beyond the animation, the most important part of any Pixar film has to be the actors who bring their characters to life. Craig T. Nelson does a fine job at giving Mr. Incredible the commanding, authoritative voice of a dad who just so happens to be a superhero, while Oscar-winner Holly Hunter gives a maternal, touching inflection of grace to Elastigirl. Samuel L. Jackson also sounds really cool as Frozone (pun intended), but he disappears for most of the movie before showing up late in the game during the big finale.
Perhaps the biggest problem for Pixar is that by focusing on humans for the very first time, “The Incredibles” fails to capture the fantasy element that goes hand-in-hand with talking fish (“Finding Nemo”), working-class monsters (“Monsters, Inc.”), or inanimate objects that suddenly spring to life (“Toy Story”). Sure, “The Incredibles” has its moments, but it’s only clever in fits and starts, and it doesn’t really maximize the potential for sharp comedy that a movie about a family of superheroes should have (hopefully next summer’s “The Fantastic Four” will fare better). Steve Jobs can certainly rest easy knowing that at the very least, he has another top-grossing hit on his hands, but you’d be wise to lower your expectations and appreciate the film for what it is. Good? Yes. Incredible? No.
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© Scott Mantz - Scott's Movie Reviews
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