Boy, what a movie!!!!
Pixar studios has done it again. Their movie this time is ’’The Incredibles’’ and it’s, well, incredible. Funny. Inspired. Superbo animation. (That’s superb and turbo combined.) It’s easily the best and brightest family-friendly movie of the year.
The movie, directed by Brad Bird (’’Iron Giant’’), departs from CG-convention by forgoing snarky comedy for white-knuckle action. While it is as intense and apocalyptic as ’’Die Hard’’ in spots, the film isn’t simply an animated catastrophe ballet. The kinetics are rooted in thoughtful themes and multifaceted characters.
Hounded by frivolous lawsuits, superstrong Bob, aka Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), and his superpowered family flee to suburban obscurity. There they must live like ordinary folks, sheltered by a ’’superhero protection program.’’
The Incredible family isn’t all that dissimilar from your average household. They bicker and argue and battle self-doubt. Their special powers only ratchet up the dysfunction, turning simple dinner table squabbles into episodes of metaphysical madness.
Helen Parr/Elastigirl has found harmony as a housewife. She wishes Bob would settle down, and grows suspicious when she finds a piece of rubble from a building on his collar after a supposed trip to the bowling alley.
Their eldest, Violet, is a teen so shy, she hides her face behind a curtain of bangs. Her gift for disappearing on cue is an extension of her adolescent angst. Ten-year-old Dash is superhumanly hyperactive, racing to place tacks on his teacher’s seat in the blink of an eye. There’s also an infant, Jack-Jack, who has yet to display any hereditary skills.
Mr. Incredible’s humdrum routine is interrupted when he’s summoned to a remote island, where his mission is to defeat a robot run amuck. It turns out to be a trap created by Syndrome, a jealous foe who wants to be super himself but lacks the talent.
Now Now, hang on for a little longer
I know that this sounds like a humdrum superhero movie, but something just makes it special. I guess its more the emotional and comedy aspects of the movie that strike a cord with the viewer. At one point, the villain in the movie starts talking maniacally about the bad things he has in store for the captured Bob when he suddenly stops himself and says: ’’You caught me monologuing!’’
Beyond the sophisticated humor, there’s something for almost every conceivable viewer. Mom, Dad, daughter and son all get a major bite of the action. What could be more appealing than an entire family not only empowered but super-empowered?
Anyway, go and watch this movie.... I am actually also looking for ward to the Hindi version wihere Shahrukh Khan has done the voice over for Mr. Incredible. Maybe this will be the first hit animated movie in India?