Ok so I know most adults would look at The Incredibles and say what a stupid kid's movie, how childish while really they secretly want to watch it. Well I must say that this film is definitely one for the kids as well as the adults, what a marvellous film. It first came out two years ago and was immediately a success. Its quick wit and sarcastic humour made it a film to love and remember. Directed by Brad Bird, the writer and director of the Iron Giant, which I haven't seen, The Incredibles is an animated film that is best watched with a big bag of popcorn with your whole family around you.
The Incredibles starts off by introducing you to a few characters; these are Mr Incredible, Elastigirl and Frozone who are Supers. Supers are people who have powers that help people everyday. Then we see a typical day for Mr Incredible, saving people, dealing with thugs and trying to get his No 1 fan Buddy away from him.
Now, fifteen years later, Bob and Helen Parr used to be these superheroes but have been forced into living normal civilian lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack. Bob can't live a normal life and desperately wants to get back into action and help society as a superhero. It's his lucky day when he receives a mysterious communication saying that there is a top secret mission for Bob if he wants it.
Ecstatic, he does so but soon realises that all is not as it seems and he realises he has been caught in a very clever trap one which he needs help getting out of. Soon Bob works out that he is just a pawn and that everyone else is in danger. Bob and his whole super family will
have to help to stop the destruction of the world.
My opinion on the story
First of all it is a very simple plot which may drive a few people to boredom but this film is suitable for kids so it can't be too complicated. However simplicity is a little gem as the film is terribly funny in parts. Little side jokes and witty comments will have the whole family in hysterics. Even thought this film is about superheroes it still manages to capture the family life in all its splendour and terror. We have a dad whose gotten fat; a mom worried about the size of her bum, a son getting into trouble at school and a daughter wanting attention from boys.
For me the story did drag a little in the middle as for me it seemed the movie staggered and did not move on for a while. However this only lasted for about 15 minutes and the last forty minutes of the film is absolutely brilliant. Jam packed full of action and laughs it's a movie that will keep you entertained. This film may not be as good as other animated films such as Toy Story or Shrek but it is definitely one not to miss.
Animation
Yes this is an animated movie but don't worry all you adults out there who think this automatically means the film is going to be rubbish. Using advanced computer technology and graphics this film looks and feels real. The emotion on the character's faces is highly defined and not once does the animation freeze or have a slight pause. The animation is so real that you can see shadows, flames and even each leaf on a tree. Ok I know I'm a little sad for noticing stuff like this but honestly it really did impress me. The animation is very similar to that of the Shrek films in terms of style and the realistic ness. Only the characters are differently designed but I'll talk about that in a bit. One of the best pieces of animation in this film is the jungle scene. Everything about it seems real, from the noises, dirt and atmosphere. I loved how they created water in the film because it looks almost tangible.
Cast and Characters Dir Brad Bird Craig T. Nelson Bob Parr/Mr Incredible Holly Hunter Helen Parr/Elastigirl Samuel L Jackson Lucius/Frozone Spencer Fox Dashiell 'Dash' Parr Sarah Vowell Violet Parr Jason Lee Buddy Brad Bird Edna Apart from the two children each voice actor is pretty well known. To be honest I can't say that they were brilliantly chosen for the parts but they portray their emotions easily by voice. Samuel L Jackson brings his usual 'coolness' to the screen as always, but he is one of my favourite actors so I could be a bit biased. Holly Hunter I think has one of the best voices in Hollywood. It's quite raspy but in this film she can use her voice to show anger, fear, love and joy. Two relatively unknown actors portray the children but I think Dash is probably the best voiced and character because he is so cheeky. In one part he does a sort of giggle and its absolutely hilarious, had me in hysterics. Then we come to Edna, a small part, the woman who creates the superheroes suits. She isn't in it that long but she is one of the best characters I have ever seen, so funny and so terribly weird.
The DVD
Our 2-disc DVD edition came where the DVD was in a cardboard slip which is quite annoying at times but it protects the cover. The front has the title and then a picture of the whole Parr family with their costumes on, ready to fight. It also has on it Frozone and Edna.
Special Features
Now you know how much I love special features on DVDs so you can imagine my joy when there is an entire disc devoted to them. There are some delightful deleted scenes, some which are quite funny but necessarily didn't need to be in the film. An alternative opening sequence which I'm just thankful they didn't use. Top Secret files on the Supers- There's no point to this really but it is fun to look at, it tells you what all the Supers names are and what their powers are, interesting for kids to look at. Behind the scenes 'making of'- God I love these, its shows the animation process and how they actually created the film. Extremely interesting, I suggest you watch it. Bloopers and outtakes- Very funny, that's all I'm going to say. Short Film 'Bounding'- Ok this has nothing to do with The Incredibles but it is a short animated film by Pixar about a sad sheep. Yes it's extremely odd but rather funny. Jack-Jack attack- I have saved the best till last, this is probably one of the funniest things I have ever seen. It only lasts five minutes but it shows what happened during the film when the Jack-Jack had a babysitter. Very very funny!
My Overall Opinion
I really love this film and it will remain one of my favourite animated movies. It's filled with laughs and its one of a very few films which has got me into hysterics of laughter. The story is quite simple which may infuriate some but if you watch it with an open mind its plenty of fun. This is an incredible family film and is extremely enjoyable to watch with many people around you. It was also nice to have a film in my family that we all enjoyed and could all laugh along with. The animation is superb and the characters are all wonderful, especially one who reminds me of my cousin! The voice acting was done very well which made the film even more enjoyable. The special features are great, many of them extremely funny. Some are interesting to watch however some I think are just for the kids and adults will not find them intriguing at all. Overall this is a great film and I definitely recommend it to everyone unless you are a weird person who hates comedies!
General information
Price: £16.97 from amazon.co.uk. Certificate: U, suitable for the entire family Runtime: 111 minutes approximately
Oh and by the way, isn't my title just original!
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