Toon Talk: The Incredibles
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(c) Disney/Pixar
Meanwhile back at home, an in-the-dark Helen begins to suspect that something fishy is going on with her husband (she thinks he’s- gasp! - having an affair), and tracks him down to Edna’s, who slyly (and not too subtly) convinces the ex-Elastigirl to get over herself and go save her man and her marriage. Jetting off to the rescue, Helen reluctantly revives her alter ego only to find Violet and Dash stowed away to help, unaware of the dangers involved with super heroing. Can this fantastic foursome overcome their squabbles and insecurities and band together in time to defeat their super-villainous nemesis?
The Incredibles departs from the tried and true Pixar formula on several counts, most drastically in the fact that it is not, as in their previous films, a full-fledged comedy; although there is certainly a healthy amount of humor present, the story skillfully avoids any obvious pokes at the super hero genre one might expect (especially from the film’s marketing), instead allowing the humor to emerge organically from what is basically a straight-forward action/adventure super hero yarn. This is also the first time that Pixar (or any CGI studio, for that matter) has been successful in creating entirely believable human beings as characters, albeit highly-stylized ones. One could also say that this is the most ‘adult’ Pixar film, with hints of infidelity, murder and violence (meriting Pixar’s first PG-rating), but more importantly dealing with themes of loyalty and mortality and the concepts of what exactly is ‘normal’ and how mediocrity has somehow become an ideal. Grand motifs, to be sure, but Bird (who knows his dysfunctional families from years on The Simpsons) and his fellow filmmakers manage to pull it off most admirably, while still delivering an incredibly super entertainment.
(c) Disney/Pixar
Toon Talk Rating: A-
| The Toon Talk Top
10 - Holdin’ Out For A Hero: Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Frozone and the rest of the Incredibles are just the latest additions to Disney’s own “Legion of Super-Heroes�?:
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Coming Soon in Toon Talk:
- Mickey and the gang make their full-length computer animated feature debut in Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, available on home video November 9th.
- On sale December 7th, just in time for the holidays, three more volumes of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections: Mickey Mouse in Black and White: Volume 1, The Complete Pluto and The Mickey Mouse Club: Week 1.
- Celebrating its 40th anniversary is a special two-disc DVD of the Oscar-winning motion picture classic Mary Poppins, available December 14th.
And Coming Soon from Buena Vista Home Video:
November 9th:
- Just in time for the theatrical sequel, revisit Oscar nominee Renee Zellweger in a special edition DVD of Bridget Jones’s Diary.
- Japanese screen legend Beat Takeshi stars in two action-packed new releases: Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman (Special Edition) and Sonatine.
November 16th:
- Two recent television productions make their DVD debuts: Eloise at Christmastime (starring Julie Andrews) and A Wrinkle in Time (starring Alfre Woodard).
November 23rd:
- Four ever-popular television series will have DVD collections: the first seasons for The Golden Girls, Home Improvement and Lizzie McGuire and the second season of Boy Meets World.
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-- Kirby C. Holt
-- Logo by William C Searcy, Magic Bear Graphics
Kirby is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. He is also an avid list maker and chronic ellipsis user ...
Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.
The opinions expressed by our Kirby C. Holt, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted November 8, 2004