Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Team America: World Place made for half-assed political satire, but the film’s humorous anti-Bruckheimer agenda succeeds in exposing the bone-headedness of people’s embrace of tripe like Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor (presumably the same people who applaud George W. Bush’s war on terror). In much the same way that Parker and Stone skewer films like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, Brad Bird (The Iron Giant) combines and sends-up the best and worst elements of countless James Bond and superhero flicks to suggest that Middle America is above the lies Hollywood sells the public.
Less cynical and infinitely more hopeful than Team America, though, The Incredibles looks to redefine the meaning of family-friendly entertainment. After a string of lawsuits sends the world’s superheroes into hiding, Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson), a.k.a. Mr. Incredible, resigns himself to living out the rest of his days as just another schmuck in the crowd (in fact, Bob’s disconnect from the self—coupled with the structuralist vigor of Bird’s compositions—recalls the struggle of King Vidor’s main character from his silent classic The Crowd).
Related Story
Every Pixar Movie Ranked
Bird’s Pixar wonderland is a triumph of emotional frustration that wears on Bob’s soul. When called to a Dr. Evil-esque island on a top-secret mission, Bob reclaims his lost identity but must confront the effects a past transgression had on someone else’s sense of self. And from this remote island emerges the film’s disgruntled menace, a Dubya-esque ninny , Buddy Pine (Jason Lee), who looks to exploit an attack on a downtown financial district to his public relations advantage. Like Bird’s own scene-stealing Edna “E” Bird—an Edith Head-like fashionista who designs superhero outfits—Buddy Pine’s idol worship similarly addresses a certain wishy-washy relationship between the public and its celebrity heroes.
There’s plenty of soul-searching throughout The Incredibles, but the film is most successful as a defense of family: When Helen Parr (Holly Hunter), a.k.a. Elastigirl, comes to her husband’s rescue, Bird gets considerable emotional mileage out of the character’s continued attempts to bend (here, literally and figuratively) in order to keep her family together. Just as riveting is Violet (Sarah Vowell) and Dash (Spencer Fox) coming to terms with their super powers, an emotional process that Bird uses to conflate the family’s love and respect for one another. The Incredibles may fight to save the world, but they teach us to know thyself.
Image/Sound
Once again, another mind-boggling audio and video treatment by Buena Vista Home Entertainment for one of their Pixar products. But seriously, did you expect anything less?
Extras
On the first disc you can choose between two commentary tracks, the first (and best) by director Brad Bird and producer John Walker, the second by the film’s many, many, many animators (I lost count after the 10th person introduced himself). A highlight of the first track may be Bird and Walker’s discussion of the elaborate design and thought behind Edna “E” Mode’s scenes-pity AMPAS didn’t deem this aspect of the film’s production worthy of an Oscar nomination. On the first disc you’ll also find countless promos and trailers for upcoming films like Cars and Chicken Little. On disc two, consider the amusing Jack-Jack Attack short starring Jack-Jack and Kari the Babysitter a lost subplot from The Incredibles. Pixar’s Boundin’, which was nominated for an Academy Award last year, is also available here, with an optional commentary track and a reverential mini-doc dedicated to the short’s director and veteran Disney animator Bud Luckey. In a section devoted to the film’s behind-the-scenes wizardry, you’ll find a general 30-minute making-of doc, a second, more elaborate making-of featurette divided into 10 parts, “Incedi-Blunders!” (sorry, but I never find bloopers from animated films particularly funny), a hilarious video essay by the nerdy Sarah Vowell (commentator for This American Life and voice of Violet), six art galleries, and a four-part publicity section containing teasers and trailers. In a Top Secret section you can catch the retro short Mr. Incredible and Pals, a second version of the short with commentary by its stars Mr. Incredible and Frozone, and nifty NSA files on all the Supers featured in the film.
Overall
Family-friendly entertainment for left-wingers and right-wingers alike.
Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
If you like what we do, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a donation.
