Disney, Pixar do 'Incredible' job

By: Tom Gaffey

Posted: 3/17/05

Disney and Pixar seem immune to failure. In their most recent collaborative release on DVD, "The Incredibles," Disney and Pixar continue to prove they can make films that rise high above most studio mediocrity, even if they can't soar to any height of greatness.

It's not fish, bugs or toys in this computer-animated tale, but superheroes.
The film's premise begins like a typical superhero saga - there are special people who fight crime but keep normal lives holding onto their precious secret identites. Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) is the world's strongest man of sorts, and after saving children and a trainload of citizens, he rushes to a wedding chapel to marry his fiancée Helen Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) - who stretches her limbs to seemingly endless lengths.

Everything is going well for the superheroes until Mr. Incredible is sued for saving a suicidal man's life. Soon all superheroes are getting sued, and the government puts them all in hiding, where they remain for 15 years living normal lives.

"The Incredibles" isn't what the viewer expects it to be - it is not simply a superhero saga, but the story of a family struggling to fit in. Mr. Incredible works at an insurance company, barely fits in his cubical and stays depressed, the colors gray and pastel, until accepting a top secret job on a top secret island.

It's always exhilarating to see a youth-geared film that takes risks. Seeing the family go through depression, conflict and anger is humanity Disney is often afraid of.

Apart from the risks, the colors, pace and story rocket launch "The Incredibles" into a highly entertaining two hours that any kid can enjoy - a film whose story may entice the most avid and critical comic book collectors.

Animated films hit and miss when it comes to comedy, and it seems to be the essential element to getting broad crowds in theaters ("Shrek" and "Finding Nemo" being examples of hysterical successes). For the most part, "The Incredibles" isn't a comedy, but an adventure and drama, which is both annoying and entertaining. The laughs in the film do eventually come, and are evoked from the insane diva stylist to superheroes, Edna 'E' Mode (the voice of whom is done by writer/director Brad Bird). His dramatic antics and uppity manner provide laughs in otherwise serious territory. Samuel L. Jackson plays Frozone, who can freeze moisture, and provides the remainder of the film's comic relief.

Bird seems to have found a knack in creating dramatic, yet enticing animated features. Bird's other great success "The Iron Giant" is said by many to be the best animated film of all time and is original, poetic and quite serious. "The Incredibles" is not nearly as human and delicate as "The Iron Giant," but it certainly tries, and has no trouble entertaining the masses who have and will see it.

The two-disc DVD includes deleted scenes, a behind the scene's featurette, one long deleted scene disguised as the animated short film "Jack-Jack Attack" and an amazing short film created by Pixar animator Bud Lucker, "Boundin'." "Boundin'" is the No. 1 reason to put disc two in a DVD player. The short features a sheep that dances around showing off its fluffy layer of wool, until its shaven bald and is ashamed until a creature comes bouncing by and decides to try and help him feel better. Its message of tolerance, intriguing animation, sensitive protagonist and wonderful banjo-infused score make it five minutes of greatness, well-worthy of its Academy Award nomination.

The deleted scenes are not like most DVD deleted scenes. Many of the scenes are basic sketches, and are almost impossible to get to, as creators of the film talk for several minutes introducing the short clips - it gets rather frustrating.

Other features include audio commentaries on disc one, an alternate opening (found in the deleted scenes), "bloopers," "outtakes" and a telling, but ultimately boring "making of" featurette.

"The Incredibles" doesn't touch the viewer like "The Iron Giant" or make the viewer laugh like "Finding Nemo" did two years ago, but it sure is a joy to let an imagination run wild throughout the highly addicting two hours of flipping, stretching, running and disappearing.