The Incredibles: The Best Superhero Movie PERIODT\Effectively stylized animation

How it differs from other animated films (specifically other Pixar films):

The Incredibles was a groundbreaking film in more ways than one. It shook up not only the world of animation, but the studio of Pixar, marking Brad Bird’s directorial debut at the studio and a change in the way animation would be handled. Coming fresh off his contract with Warner Brothers where he created The Iron Giant (a box-office disappointment and ultimate cult classic), Bird carried over much of his staff to take on a project he had been dreaming of attempting for years. Pulling inspiration from his own struggles to balance family and career, Bird developed a film full of allusions to the 60s spy movies and superhero comics of his youth. Significantly, it is the first Pixar film to feature an all human, all computer-animated cast. From both a technical and thematic perspective, this was a huge divergence. Past features had relied on surprising audiences by introducing us to worlds and perspectives we are unable to experience (toys, bugs, fish, etc.). In addition, new technology had to be developed to depict realistic human skin, hair, and fabric textures. Less commonly known but equally significant, this was the first Pixar movie to receive a PG rating. There are explicit scenes of violence and intense chase scenes throughout. The Incredibles was thus a turning point for the studio; no longer would computer animation serve as a method of entertaining children but would function as a medium to enhance the cinematic experience. And what better subject matter is more universal and malleable than superheroes? Bird ultimately succeeds in making the mundane and the expected new and exciting, or as one might call it… incredible.

Making an animated film for all audiences:

This film is super adult. The humor, the score, the internal conflicts… I still find little gems in it each time I watch it (now as a 21-year-old). The only other animated film that I feel that I understand more as an adult than I did as a child is Fantastic Mr. Fox which, coincidentally (?), also deals with a father going through a midlife crisis. But the film is also super-duper enjoyable for children. Like, no matter what age you are, hearing Samuel L. Jackson yell about his super suit is actually the best thing. I’ve decided to break the film into two major themes and discuss how each is broadly appealing.

1. A family drama: The most obvious appeal to an adult audience is the sitcom-like conflict wherein Mr. Incredible, or Bob rather, is faced with balancing his personal interests/ego and supporting his family. The intro to the movie is perhaps my favorite part–– it is such a perfect vehicle for not only character introduction, but an introduction to the weight that is carried when balancing secret identities (personal desires) with superpowers (altruism). Being a superhero isn’t always fun (like most things in adult life). Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone reveal how they experience their dual lives. Interestingly, Mr. Incredible claims to desire a quiet life, whereas Elastigirl has no intention of slowing down. However, once they are quickly forced into their domestic roles, and their secret identity becomes their only identity, the roles reverse. Helen is committed to supporting her family and keeping their secret under wraps, whereas Bob is careless in his attempts to reclaim a sense of worth experienced in his “glory days”. There is an emphasis on slow moments of domesticity, reminiscent of Miyazaki’s “ma”. Amazingly, during the film’s production Miyazaki actually visited Pixar and saw the film's story reels. When Bird asked if the reels made any sense or if they were just "American nonsense," Miyazaki replied, through an interpreter, "I think it's a very adventurous thing you are trying to do in an American film.” This is not typical of a children’s film. In fact, a less courageous director would assume that such concepts would fly right over a child’s head and would trash such scenes in favor of less evocative action and comedy. But Bird had a vision and a confidence that children would (at least subconsciously) pick up on what he was putting out. He and Miyazaki hold that emotion and entertainment go hand in hand, and that animation can be an ideal media convey big themes in a simple way. And it worked. Even as an adult, the scenes I remember most are those with heavy dialogue and emphasis on facial expression.

2. What makes someone “super”? This one is more a question for the kiddos. The underlying message is that anyone can be super–– that it’s not powers that make us incredible but how we treat those we love. Again, this movie is super self-aware, and there is still an adult take. The way the former supers are treated by society is really an interesting take on the superhero genre–– the Par’s aren’t rogues like Batman but are closer to characters in Watchmen. Mr. Incredible isn’t called back into action by the government, but ultimately by his own desire to use his strength for good. Addressing such a complex moral political concept in a children’s film is not an easy feat. But Bird pulls it off in a way that’s engaging and not in the least preachy.

So just how was Bird so successful in getting his messages across while winning a freakin’ Oscar and creating an animated film that would stand the test of time???:

Creating three-dimensional characters:

The characters are the lifeblood of this movie. It’s basically a character study, so it was important to Bird that the team create both a well written and a well animated cast (not to mention well voice-acted). Something about the way the humans are animated in this film makes them feel so human. This is kind of crazy considering they are LITERAL SUPERHEROS. Like juuust the right qualities were exaggerated. It never veers into being too cartoony but maintains a great comic book-like feel. What more, the Par family is relatable. We see their squabbles and flaws, and there are several scenes of them using their powers in everyday settings––relatively rarely included in superhero films. Bird wanted to use the concept of a superhero not as a symbolic tool, but as a vehicle for character growth. Let’s take a look at the main players to see just how this was achieved (also I’m gonna ignore the children for now because they actually don’t have that much to do lol):

Bob Par/Mr. Incredible: The character design is as perfectly rendered as it is representative of Bob’s transformation. He’s an all-American ideal of perfection like Captain America–– blond-haired, blue-eyed, all upper body. I love how the animators were able to transition him into middle-life complacency with the addition of a beer belly and longer sideburns. They took it just far enough. And the fact that he has to consistently work out (lifting trains–– so freakin cool) in order to get that youthful body back is just a fantastically relatable touch. He physically grows and changes like a human, and so does his disposition. His body is large, but so is his ego (that little scene where he lifts up his arms to reveal his stomach showing that his old costume is too small is actually amazing), excellently portrayed by the contrasts in space. In the beginning of the film, Mr. Incredible is positioned in large sets with sweeping cuts (in widescreen). His world is expansive. But as he is forced into domesticity, everything becomes tiny–– his cubicle at work, his car, even his tie looks sort of funny on his massive chest. Bob is both physically and emotionally at odds with his position in life. At his core, Bob just wants to feel useful again. But his power is super strength, as opposed to speed or flying, for a reason. It’s so easy to use and therefore so easy for a slip-up to occur. Furthermore, he can’t channel it. There is such an irony to him working at an insurance company. He is under the belief that he cannot be Mr. Incredible in his current situation. The parallel between him helping the old lady get her cat out of the tree and him giving helpful advice to an old lady at work show that he’s trying to adapt. Bob’s conflict is analogous to that of a college athlete who just can’t help but feel his best days are behind him. He has no hope and unintentionally projects his desires on Dash. Helen has to scream “this is not about you” (fat mood) in an attempt to wake him up from his middle-aged slumber.

Bob is so caught up in the past that he’s missing his present. And he thinks that flexing his strength, rebecoming Mr. Incredible, is the key to reclaim that feeling of glory. This is a universal feeling! We all struggle with nostalgia. That’s what makes the scene when he looks at his shrine of memorabilia, after being told he has another chance at glory, so emotional. He thinks that by reliving the past, he may finally be able to move onto the future. But through his trials and tribulations, almost losing his family, he realizes that his physical strength means nothing. The past –– his independence and feeling of invincibility–– is not better than the love of his family. Perfectly surmised in the climax of the film wherein he admits “I can’t lose you again, I’m not strong enough”. Bob/Mr. Incredible is a cautionary tale for all middle-aged men and just people in general who think they can substitute love with lust and the present with the past. And ultimately, he is able to reconcile his desire to be Mr. Incredible again! But he can’t do it alone. None of us can. Supporting one another is one of the best powers we have as humans.

Helen Par/Elastigirl: THIS WAS A PERFECT SUPERPOWER CHOICE! Elastagirl’s physical flexibility is a metaphor for her adaptability as she is forced to contain herself to being Helen–– wife and mother. What more, it is symbolic of motherhood and antiquated standards of femininity. It’s the 60s! In addition to her own personal desires, Helen must stifle her powers to serve her family. We almost exclusively see her use her powers to care for and protect her children. Alternatively, she uses her powers to physically dominate Bob, stretching around, over, and away from him as their relationship becomes increasingly strained. Again, Helen doesn’t regain the strength of Elastigirl through a flaunting of her powers and saving the day alone. She does so by mending her broken relationship with Bob and bringing her family together.

The villains: Not to shit on Marvel again, but the Omni-droids have more character than most movie supervillains nowadays. And they’re only robots serving, and ultimately disobeying, one of the best written characters ever–– Syndrome! If you ever wondered why Buddy is so relatable, it’s because Buddy represents US, the non-super viewer. He aspires to a level of fame he believes only comes with power (while ignoring the consequences). With a physical appearance based on Bird himself, and an amazing voice performance by Jason Lee, Syndrome is so intimidating because he could be any one of us. He’s just a nerd with power. Like Elon Musk. But eviler. I mean, even Mirage gets a moral dilemma in this film! The villains, like the protagonists, are people. Not good or bad but shaded with humanity.

The sides: Edna is the best character ever. Period. And she’s voiced by Bird himself which is amazing. And Frozone. The two of them have some of the most memorable lines. Having three-dimensional side characters is a rarity in animated films, but Bird refuses to disappoint meeeee. Again, the voice acting in this movie was so well done.

Creating a real sense of danger:

Another great aspect of the film is the pacing and tone. There are such genius moments of comedy, cutting commentary, and well directed fight scenes, and none of them feels out of place/disconnected from the previous scene. It works to create a grounded universe wherein there is a true sense of danger. Damn, Helen straight up tells the kids that these bad guys will “kill them” (and there’s the PG rating)! It’s one of the longest Pixar films, but you don’t feel the length, just the excitement. One of the most moving and intense scenes is the back and forth between Helen finding out Bob has been lying and Bob seeing all the heroes who have been killed by Syndrome. The close ups on their faces and parallel between their reactions, combined with the score and voiceover by Edna, is so moving and anxiety producing. Like why am I shaking watching this animated film?!

Animative Style: This film has a clear and consistent style that is lacking in most modern-day animation studios (and I would even argue it is lacking in modern-day Pixar). Bird stayed true to his vision.

o The use of color and style: Colors alternate between muted for the mundane and heavily saturated for the exciting. Everything is so slick and smooth. And the lack of texture, whether due to artistic decisions or limitations of technology at the time, gives the film a comic-book feel. It’s retro-futuristic (a 60s imagining of the future), which I love. It makes it so that the costume design and sets feel clean and timeless. Nothing about the animation overwhelms the story–– in fact, it enhances it.

o The score: This shit is sexy. I deadass remember as a kid thinking “this movie has a sexy soundtrack”. To fit with the time period, Bird and composer Giacchino took inspiration from 1960s jazz recordings by artists like Mancini (who scored one of my other favorite films of all time, Breakfast at Tiffany’s). It’s full of energy and personality.

Sets and direction: Everything is depicted at a grand scale. The world feels large and lived in. This is also due to Bird’s fantastic directing, as the action scenes are staged and edited like you would a live-action film. There are lots fast cuts, but also enough tracking shots and wide pans so that we have some idea of wtf is going on *cough marvel cough*. All of the fight scenes are clear (even on a frame by frame basis). The sound design is amazing in that everything the characters interact with makes a unique and natural sound. It’s a grounded film that doesn’t aim to astound, rather to draw the viewer into the intimacy of the character’s worlds.

In conclusion: The Incredibles isn’t completely flawless, but it’s a damn near perfect animated film. Bird, like Miyazaki and Pixar as a whole, set out to use animation and the superhero genre to tell a universal story about humanity. And he more than succeeded. The film is incredibly watchable and relatable. It is visually pleasing. It has comedy and action in just the right ratio, and it transcends the obvious genres we like to shove films into. Of all films that the heavily saturated superhero movie genre, The Incredibles stands out in my memory as having more heart and more engaging characters AND action scenes than any other. It will always have a special place in my heart for teaching me the importance of putting aside your ego, appreciating your family, and that no one can be “incredible” on their own.

Now to watch the sequel and see if it flies in the face of everything I believe in…