Maybe “The Incredibles” should be a nickname for the people at Pixar, the computer-animation company that gave us “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo.” Their uncanny string of hits continues with “The Incredibles,” a terrifically entertaining superhero comedy.
An extended prologue introduces us to Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), a massive-chested strongman who performs the usual good deeds – foiling robberies, saving trains from doom, getting cats out of trees.
He is married to Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), a stretchy superhero in her own right. They share the turf with Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson), whose gimmick is ice.
Sadly, because of lawsuits, these superheroes are forcibly retired by the government, and placed in anonymity in a superhero protection program. Incredible and Elastigirl, aka Bob and Helen Parr, spend 15 years in suburbia, raising three kids.
But being ordinary doesn’t sit well with Mr. Incredible. (If your name were Mr. Incredible, would ordinariness sit well with you?) Soon the family is back in the game, including the two oldest kids, who have their own special powers.
Naturally, there must be an evil villain, and a fiend who calls himself Syndrome (Jason Lee) is just that. His island lair becomes the setting for much of the action, and the movie kicks around some fun James Bond conventions.
Syndrome’s seductive henchwoman (Elizabeth Pena) is a welcome addition, too. Other wonderfully drawn characters include a hilarious designer of superhero costumes, a diminutive lady modeled after famous Hollywood designer Edith Head (and voiced by the film’s director, Brad Bird). She delivers a show-stopping litany of disasters associated with superhero capes.
“The Incredibles” differs from previous Pixar releases in its reliance on the action-movie format. It has less of the rich sentiment of “Toy Story” or “Nemo,” and more eye-bending stunts. That leaves it shy of the benchmark of those previous films, in my book (it’s also a tad overlong), but what’s here is still great fun.
This is one of those rare movies that gives you the feeling that people really had fun making it. Writer-director Brad Bird, who did “The Iron Giant,” has impeccable comic timing, and the visual jokes are beautifully set up. As usual, the computer animation is superb, the compositions more expressive than most live-action pictures.
The voices, too, are exactly right. Instead of going for the mega-star casting of “Shark Tale,” this one gets great characters out of Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter. Even the small roles are clever; the daughter of the superheroes, an awkward adolescent with a gift for invisibility, is voiced by comic writer Sarah Vowell.
As though “The Incredibles” weren’t enough of a family treat, there are two goodies preceding it. One is a delightful Pixar short involving a lamb and a jackalope – and there aren’t enough movies about jackalopes. The other is the trailer for the next “Star Wars” movie, which should get the faithful happily primed.
“The Incredibles” HHHH
Yes, they are: Terrific Pixar feature about a family of superheroes, who come out of forced retirement when needed. The action-movie element keeps it shy of the “Finding Nemo” benchmark, but it’s got wonderful characters and impeccable comic timing.
Rated: PG rating is for violence.
Now showing: tk
“The Incredibles” HHHH
Yes, they are: Terrific Pixar feature about a family of superheroes, who come out of forced retirement when needed. The action-movie element keeps it shy of the “Finding Nemo” benchmark, but it’s got wonderful characters and impeccable comic timing.
Rated: PG rating is for violence.
Now showing: Edmonds, Everett 9, Galaxy, Grand, Marysville, Mountlake, Olympic, Stanwood, Cinerama, Metro, Oak Tree, Pacific Place, Woodinville, Cascade.
Robert Horton
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