The 'greatest hits' sequences of movies continues as we stroll through a week of peerless films here over the festive period. 'The Incredibles' was the sixth Pixar animated feature, and is probably still the best, lacking any of the saccharine qualities of other Pixar movies and turning out a story that is part 'James Bond', part 'Fantastic Four' and all incredible.
'The Incredibles' was a non-typical Pixar movie from the beginning, its brain trust being built around the director and producer of 'The Iron Giant', Brad Bird and John Walker. Those two, so specifically not of Pixar, infused a whole new sensibility to the studio for this film, also written by Bird, and no end of brass instruments. It's a fantastic ride from beginning to end, powered by a fantastic jazzy brass score from Michael Giacchino, and essentially reinventing the superhero movie for the modern age. Forget 'Spider-Man' or 'X-Men', as it all began here, done better than in the vast majority of the following mass produced superhero movies, and with far more heart.
'The Incredibles' boasts an impressive voice cast, magnificent visuals, superb virtual photography, one of the most gorgeous scores ever committed to an animated movie, more spy and adventure references than you'll find in any other film, and some of the most enjoyable spotlighting of comic book tropes on record, but what is it about? At the most basic level it's about a father missing out on the opportunity of being with his family while he longs for the glory days of being a rough and tough superhero, before all the 'supers' were driven underground by lawsuits, and it's about the difficulties they all have in trying to fit in and be normal while repressing the super parts of their characters. It's also about the story that unfolds when that dad, Bob aka Mr Incredible, falls into a new adventure and ultimately allows them all to embrace who they are and each other. Oh, and there are masses of jokes.
The strength of the movie is really in the Brad Bird influence, which permeates the whole enterprise, marking it in a very non-Pixar fashion. I am in no way saying that regular Pixar is bad, but it's not quite like 'The Incredibles'. This was very much the movie he wanted to make, and his passion for it bursts through both in the excellent filmmakers' commentary on the DVD and the audacious Giacchino score. It's the kind of spy and superhero caper that doesn't get made any more, indeed the kind that never got made to begin with! It's heartfelt where it needs be heartfelt, earns every emotional punchline, pushes the style up to maximum while retaining a charm and solidity, and all while maintaining arcs for four separate characters.
As 'The Apartment' plays to the side, it's becoming clear in retrospect that a vital aspect that it and 'The Incredibles' have in common is a punchy lack of schmaltziness. Is it possible that Brad Bird and Billy Wilder have a lot more in common than we think? It's clear they both wished there was more sneaking in movies in general.
Apart from the gags and some incredibly energetic action sequences - including one spectacular running chase sequence - there's something special about 'The Incredibles', something intangible and insubstantial, some style long unseen in film and not seen since. It's the 1950s fused into James Bond and international globetrotting, superheroics and fallen idols, hero worship gone bad and life renewed. Or it's a massive action romp with just enough plot to keep the whole thing running smoothly. You decide.
O.
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