For my dear friend Patrick, the ultimate Incredibles fan.
What comes to mind when you consider a superhero movie? Today, there appears to be two distinct camps. One that considers them a trite and foolish trend of money grabbing children’s play, while the other considers them a cinematic adventure worthy of attention and praise. Funny enough, we find that same dichotomy in the world of comic books themselves. Some tackle the heaviest of cynicism and philosophy with full, punching darkness, while others take the more loose, imaginative approach leading to grand, colorful spectacles that make the world seem bearable, It is strange to see that nothing has truly changed in the 20 years since The Incredibles graced the world for the first time, because nothing truly would be the same without it.
Director Brad Bird created something that seemed almost impossible at the time, a superhero movie that truly appealed to everyone. It had the deep, rich realism of a family drama. while painting a very broad world where the spectacular wonder of superheroes is all but frowned upon. The Incredibles is a masterpiece because it managed to make superheroes look appealing in a world where the average person in their universe found them dangerous and the average viewer saw them as childish, along the same lines as Adam West, Lou Ferrigno or even Chrstopher Reeves to a small degree. Not to say I don’t love the corny. zany portrayals, simply that the staunch realists did not. Essentially, what The Incredibles did was craft something similar to Alan Moore’s groundbreaking Watchmen and make it more accessible for everyone, especially children and their parents. By finding the right balance between the reality of family dynamics, whimsical wonder, and the slightest bit of political tension, The Incredibles became true to its name as one of, and still to this day, the best films, animated or otherwise.
To those who don’t know what Watchmen is, I don’t blame you. When I was a kid, I had no clue what any of this above stuff was, meant or even what made it so important. However, that is what truly made The Incredibles so utterly fascinating. This one film made an entire generation of kids interested in superheroes. I would even argue The Incredibles paved the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the superhero renaissance we’re currently living through. The humanity of the story is simply that strong.
I was 7 years old when it came out and yet in the cinema I could understand how deep it truly was. I mean, I probably didn’t get the full nuance of absolutely everything, but it still felt raw to hear the Parrs fight and bicker, it felt so compelling to have Syndrome as a baddie when I was used to more simple villains and the fact that this film is still so utterly beautiful and vivid engaging even today is a testament in and of itself. The scene where Dash is running on the water while being chased by the hovering henchman, accompanied by one of the greatest modern composers of all time Michael Giacchino, is one of the most iconic and influential scenes of my life. That score was so powerful it would be the first of many soundtracks I would actually pursue, purchase and listen to for hours on end. I started to read the credits name by name because I wanted to learn who made the art I had just seen.
The Incredibles not only got me into the realm of superheroes, but also the world of cinema as a whole.
At 7, I knew I was watching something truly special. That is what makes The Incredibles so incredible.
Calm and Cultured 