I want to acknowledge a development that recently occurred in film circles:
I didn’t see The Incredibles theatrically. I was going through a tough time when it came out, having entered high school and being in the process of moving. My exposure, therefore, was via a Blockbuster rental the following year, and I was only allowed to watch it after doing my homework. But it was worth it. It not only catered to my maturing tastes, it was also a satisfying movie. And when the only great superhero movies at that time were Raimi’s Spider-Man films and the first two X-Men movies, this surpassing both was no small feat.
And now, almost 22 years later, The Incredibles has been added to The National Film Registry. Several other movies also got added, but this was the entry of note for me. Because while not every movie, I feel, deserves it, this one does. It’s truly great, and not simply as a superhero or animated movie. Then again, this was Pixar in their prime. Are we surprised?
There’s plenty to discuss. Despite the protagonist, Bob Parr, being a post-WWII suburban dad, his struggles as a former superhero longing for the glory days resonates anyone who’s become a tired, bitter adult at a dead-end job. That longing for a past time that doesn’t exist anymore, while Boomer-ish in nature, feels more and more relatable with each passing year. As someone turning 36 in July, the passage of time is creeping up on me.
But this movie doesn’t take the easy way out, either. While Bob gets short-term wish-fulfillment when his former career becomes his occupation, it comes at a cost. He puts his marriage in danger, and his life, leading to the movie’s drama. Bob’s wife, Helen, and his two eldest children then have to rescue him, and he realizes that they’re more important than reliving the past. That’s something adults could stand to learn more often.
The Incredibles is also a fun action movie. Taking cues from James Bond and Mission Impossible, there are several thrilling action scenes here. My two favourites are Helen and her kids trying to avoid homing missiles, and Dash outrunning goons. The former’s a nail-biter with a “will-she-or-won’t-she” moment surrounding Violet’s powers, while the latter’s high-energy fun. Both are also only a few minutes long, getting their messages across without bloat.
The only fight that’s “long” is the battle with The Omnidroid, a robot that quickly decides that its master, the film’s villain, isn’t worth taking orders from. Even then, the movie has time for one more action scene involving the kidnapping of Jack-Jack. It’s a nail-biting sequence with an explosive finale, and it’s a send-off to the film’s many great set-pieces. Plus, it has one the movie’s best lines, where a kid praises their fight after waiting the entire movie for excitement. I laugh whenever he shouts “THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED!”.
The Incredibles set the standard for Pixar’s human designs. Prior to its release, the studio hadn’t figured that out, frequently bordering on Uncanny Valley territory. But Brad Bird, who’d directed The Iron Giant, knew that didn’t work. He opted for more a stylized, cartoon-y look, and Pixar’s never gone back. If anything, they’ve become more and more stylized post-The Incredibles!
There’s been much talk over the years about the movie’s influences. Detractors have claimed that Brad Bird’s a Randian Objectivist, with his movie being an allegory for Ayn Rand’s philosophies. I don’t agree anymore, as the characters who espouse her beliefs, Bob’s boss and Syndrome, are clearly the bad guys. And they both meet violent ends, Syndrome especially. A movie espousing Randian politics positively wouldn’t do that.
Another argument that’s thrown around is that this movie rips off Watchmen. I’ve heard this from people close to me, and it strikes me as off-putting. Given that none of the characters in that story, save Doctor Manhattan, have superpowers, for The Incredibles to be a rip-off of Alan Moore’s work doesn’t make sense. Also, Watchmen’s a dark subversion of superheroes, one where superheroes all suck. Essentially, I don’t buy it.
I have to mention this movie’s sequel, which came out 14 years later. I know Incredibles 2 is divisive, especially for retreading themes and plot-points, but I really enjoyed it. Is it as good as The Incredibles? No. But it doesn’t have to be. By not judging the sequel on its own terms, it misses out on its strengths. Like how it has a fantastic action scene involving Helen and a runaway locomotive. Or how Michael Giacchino returns as composer, and his jazz-inspired score is excellent. Or how the Parr children get more to do, with Violet throwing shade at the rehashed ending from the first movie. That’s all good stuff!
Anyway, I’m glad The Incredibles is in the registry. It not only means it’ll be preserved, it also means that its impact is respected and acknowledged by the film community. That’s huge! So much so, in fact, that it contradicts those who claim that animation “isn’t cinema”. Because it is.
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