The Incredibles: A Retrospective on the Animated Classic

Back in 2004 (less than 10 years from their first feature), Pixar had already established itself as a quality studio with its crowd pleasing previous 5 films, 14 academy Award Nominations (3 of which were wins), and its 2 ½ billion-dollar worldwide box office. With that goodwill, every Pixar release became one of the most anticipated films of the year and easily the most anticipated animated feature of the year. At the same time Hollywood was just starting to crank out superhero films. This was the beginning of the modern superhero genre. In order to stand out in the genre, you had to be something special. The Incredibles was special. Its focus was on the characters and not how they were super, but how they were human. It tackled themes like the danger of idolization, the danger to the public when super beings battle, and also had a unique storytelling method which made the film fun.

 

Opening with interviews of the heroes actually provided a way to look into the characters; it gave them a kind of vulnerability. In the interviews they leave subtle hints as to the not so heroic aspects of their character which humanized them. Mr. Incredible mentioned how sometimes he wished the world would not need saving, but only for a little while; thus exposing his inner desire to be heroic for heroism’s sake and not necessarily the greater good. Frozone mentioned how he enjoys the perks of having a secret identity so as to not have relationship attachments; kinda dropping that he was a love them and leave them kind of guy. And when Elastigirl was asked if she would ever retire and leave saving the world to the men, she said “I don’t think so” twice; once as a statement and once as an echo of maybe regret. As though Elastigirl actually longed to have a family and recognized she couldn’t do it and be a hero at the same time. Finally, during an encounter with a villain, Mr. Incredible was unable to pursue him as he had a prior personal engagement. Life gets in the way of his herorism and as the film progresses in no way does ever regret the choice to have a family or show any disdain towards them, but instead he simply longed for the days of glory where he was a hero; which of course lead to him making risky decisions.

Idolization is another theme throughout the film. In the beginning of the film we see the heroes in their heyday. They travelled through the city in their super cars, swung from building to building, and even rode ice slides as they chased down bad guys. The idea being projected is one of a golden age. Everything looks bright and shiny and the heroes are lean and young.

The cops welcomed the help of the supers because they are seen as heroes and not vigilantes. An old woman even recognizes the car of Mr. Incredible and asks for help. These supers are celebrities.

 

But when exploring the theme of idolization it’s important to also examine the negative side and the impact that can have on a person; best illustrated in the character of Buddy/Syndrome. He began as child fan whose idolization of superheroes became obsession.

 

 

 

That obsession teamed with rejection drove him to make himself successful, but also drove him psychotic. As an adult he now he draws in those very heroes he worshiped only to kill them. Yes a machine does all of the killing, but it’s his machine. His plan. The young boy that was Buddy grew up to be a killer, but using the theme of superheroes we can just call him a super villain.

Then there is the concept of The Superhero Relocation Program. The idea of super heroics causing property damage and endangering the lives of civilians has been explored in the comics for decades, but to the level of the government intervening and enacting a law to register them and then bar them from performing deeds feels like it first came to popularity in this film. Even the Marvel Comics Event Civil War (later adapted into a film for the Marvel Cinematic Universe) came out in 2006, 2 years after the release of The Incredibles. Brad Bird beat the big guys to it with characters no one had ever heard of before.

 

   

Visually and music-wise, The Incredibles also has a timeless feel to it despite its many cues to 60’s era adventure stories; more like a James Bond film, The Man from UNCLE or Mission Impossible. Mr. Incredible even gets a “This message will self-destruct” moment which was a very 60’s spy genre trope. And the cheesy villains and bright costumes really makes it like the 60’s Batman television show. There was something about that era that was both fantastic and grounded which allowed for it to be very accessible for audiences. So while dealing with family drama, the dangers of idolization, and midlife crisis, the story still manages to be fun and a lot of that is due to the use of the 60’s futuristic genre the film emulates.

 

 

The other part of the storytelling is in the visuals. In the beginning of the film the colors are bright and vibrant, the angles are wide and settings are city rooftops. After the Relocation Program is enacted, the colors become neutral, the angles are closer and tighter. The settings are offices, cars, and dining room tables. Going from large cinematic scope to tight shots almost makes it seem like the film goes from big epic blockbuster to indie drama. But this is not disappointing, instead it just emphasizes what the story is really about, the characters.

 

 

So though it’s been 14 years since The Incredibles was released, the film’s story and effects still hold up and actually, having seen The Incredibles 2 already, I know a revisit to the original film is the perfect companion piece to the sequel which hits theaters this Friday (June 15, 2018).

 

 

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