In 1961, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created a new kind of superhero team with “The Fantastic Four.” Not content writing about heroes hanging out merely for the sake of the shared admiration for long underwear, Kirby and Lee created characters that were a family first and heroes second. The Fantastic Four had their share of problems – both galactic and domestic – but between ridding the world of the menace of the Red Ghost, they would put aside petty differences and share some quality family time.
This summer, audiences will be reintroduced to Marvel Comics’ first family when Fox releases a movie 40 years in the making. But, as any self-respecting comic geek who’s been keeping track of the film’s production can tell you, there are going to be some serious changes made. Whether the alterations to the characters’ origins are for better or worse is yet to be seen, but fans can relax. “The Incredibles,” which is inspired by The Fantastic Four’s adventures, is currently in theaters and captures the wide-eyed wonderment of the silver age of comic books.
The movie is the latest computer-generated cartoon to come from Pixar Studios. Using state-of-the-art animation, the film tells the story of a world in which superheroes once existed. There, it was once common to look outside one’s office window and see the heroic demigods of modern mythology making daring rescues and foiling crime dressed in colorful costumes – spandex, capes and all. Flash forward 15 years, and the heroes of the world are hidden from sight – forced into domestic lifestyles to avoid the high costs and liabilities associated with the destruction a city undergoes during a good old-fashioned super villain brawl.
Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) used to be a celebrated savior of people when he was Mr. Incredible; today he crams his hulking figure into a tiny cubicle, working for a living to support his family. Bob has grown a bit paunchy in the middle, his thoughts distracted by the fond memories he associates with his other life. Helen Parr (Holly Hunter) was once Elastigirl – the super stretchable supporter of feminism and women’s empowerment. Today she’s a housewife and mother of three dealing with her own uncertainty of her husband’s loyalty. Dash Parr and Violet Parr may have the blood of heroes running through their veins, but they are just children unsure of their place in the world. Dash was blessed with the gift of super speed, but he can’t use his power in public without the government relocating his family. Violet is lost in her teenage awkwardness and escapes her insecurities with invisibility. Together, this family of heroes finds themselves drifting apart; that is, until a foe from Bob’s past comes back to haunt him.
The film alternates between the familiar trials that most families deal with and super-charged action. The action scenes bring back the joy of childhood Saturday mornings with the heroes utilizing their powers in fun, exciting ways. The use of animation lets the film’s writer/director (Brad Bird) loose with his creativity. “The Incredibles” is a wonderful tribute to the original film’s roots. While the story and dialogue often wink toward the cliches that comic books often fall into, “The Incredibles” does not mock or spoof the genre, instead paying tribute with a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that keeps the film fresh and fun.
It’s ironic that Pixar’s latest offering is its most mature and introspective, yet it deals with a subject that most people disregard as kid’s stuff. Behind the bright costumes and wacky side characters, “The Incredibles” is a thoughtful tale of family, responsibility and the dangers of idolization. Unlike most animated films today, the film is not written for thick-witted children. The dialogue and emotions may go over some small children’s heads, but the film has faith that most children will understand its universal messages, or at least learn something in the process. It may be a children’s movie, but to anybody looking for an adventure movie that manages to jointly treat its audience with respect and offer up a nostalgic tribute to comic books, “The Incredibles” is here to save the day.