Review of ‘The Incredibles’

Being a superhero may not always the easiest job in the world. Sure being able to bench-press a mountain may be a breeze, but trying doing so when you’re raising a family of superheroes, bringing home the bacon with a job you care less for and maintaining a government sanctioned secret identity, while craving the ‘glory days’….

In this brawny animated movie, the plot is fairly simple…super humans or ‘supers’ are they are affectionately called, are forced into civilian retirement when Robert Parr aka ‘Mr Incredible’ injures a civilian who was trying to commit suicide. Add to the list are numerous complaints about structural damage and reckless endangerment, and you can clearly understand why supers aren’t needed. All this couldn’t have happened at a worse time for him either, as he’s about to be married to the ever-flexible ‘Elastigirl’, in front of a few family and super-powered friends. Life just couldn’t get any better.

Because it doesn’t…

Fast forward 15 years and Mr Incredible is now a working man with three kids, caught up in the cogs of commerce. But, being a superhero is all that he knows and every fibre of him radiates with that spirit. So it’s quite understandable, at least to him that his short and highly annoying boss ends up in the Intensive Care after going
through a few walls when he prevents him from rescuing someone who was mugged in the alley behind the office. But to the government who now has to shell out large sums to sweep the act under the carpet, this is one time too many for Mr. Incredible. Now with his identity at risk and his family already settled into comfortable lives, Robert has few options left open.

So when a strange invitation to ‘relive the glory days’ and not rescue people from burning buildings literally lands in his lap, he jumps at the offer. He is asked to defeat a droid capable of learning and anticipating moves, not to mention an almost indestructible exterior, razor sharp claws and a relentless ‘seek and destroy’ mentality, this simple bot gives Mr Incredible the workout of his life.

But it also provides him with a decent salary, the adoration of his family and the chance to done his super-suit, after acquiring a new one from Edna Mole. But he soon realizes that the mastermind behind his new-found existence is none other than a former fan whom he rejected 15 years ago. Calling himself ‘Syndrome’, he has harboured a

grudge against anyone with superpowers and is hell-bent on humiliating and beating his former idol, Mr Incredible. Elastigirl who went from being a feminist to a full time wife and mother, becomes concerned with her husband’s strange behaviour. Through Edna, she learns what her husband has been up to and receives new uniforms for her entire family: Violet, her eldest, can become completely invisible as well as project spherical force fields. Dashiell ‘Dash’, can go from 0-400+ miles an hour in a few seconds and the baby, whom was presumed to possess no powers, can shape-shift at will. 

Elastigirl un-wittingly triggers a homing beacon in Mr Incredible’s suit, which triggers an alarm. It is up to Elastigirl and the kids, minus Jack Jack, to save him. What ensures is a heady mixture of excitement, suspense and wholesome, enjoyable action that everyone can enjoy. 

In fine Pixar form, expect crisp, clean animations, spot-on voicing talent from a broad pool of familiar names and solid writing and storyboarding. The plot is exciting with no long pauses to lose the interest of the young viewers and the messages embodied in the film are simple enough that the kids will enjoy but with enough humour to fulfil any adult watching.