With the recent string of superhero movies, Pixar seemed to be cashing in on the fad with its own animated take, “The Incredibles.” Unexpectedly, it proved to be not only one of the best superhero movies of all time, but also the best computer-animated film to date by far (sorry “Finding Nemo” fans). The release of the two-disc DVD cemented its place in history.
While no new ground was broken in conceiving super powers for the film’s heroes, “The Incredibles” succeeds where many films of its genre do not: exposing the normal civilian lives and relationships of its heroes. The plot focuses on great characters who just happen to be “supers.” The Parr family, consisting of strongman Bob, the stretchy Helen, speedy-legged Dash, translucent Violet and multi-talented toddler Jack-Jack, face a kidnapping, the fear of marital infidelity, career woes and the challenge of raising children.
Disc one features the film and three commentary tracks by writer/director Brad Bird, producer John Walker and the film’s animators. Actors were perfectly cast, enlisting Samuel L. Jackson as the ultra-cool FroZone, Craig T. Nelson as Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter as super mom Elastigirl and Jason Lee as the villain Syndrome.
The amount of work put into animated films is often unknown to the average viewer, taking years to complete. Disc Two’s six behind-the-scenes featurettes guide you through every stage of the film’s creative process. A cast of animators is introduced, along with their years of work in developing characters and conceiving the world of “The Incredibles.” Bird leads a Pixar team that is full of camaraderie and passion for the project.
More in-depth special features include the National Supers Archive, packed with 21 superhero bios. “Mr. Incredible and Pals” is a terrible yet accurate spoof of ’70s cartoons accompanied with in-character commentary by Jackson and Nelson. “Vowellet – An Essay by Sarah Vowell” introduces you to the unlikely casting of unsuspecting history writer Vowell as daughter Violet. “Incredi-Blunders” shows the mishaps and mischief that can occur in computer animation in the form of bloopers, presented like any live-action outtake reel you’ve ever seen.
Two animated shorts round out the disc. “Jack-Jack Attack” goes where the movie chose not to tread, showing what actually happened when baby Jack-Jack’s powers manifested themselves with only his teenage baby sitter as witness. “Boundin’,” which accompanied the film in theaters, offers a motivational message carried on the shoulders of a doubting sheep and an upbeat jackalope. “Boundin'” creator Bud Luckey’s status as an unsung hero of animation is shown in “Who is Bud Luckey?” Luckey is also the voice of Agent Rick Dicker.
The only minor disappointment of the DVD is the absence of voice-over footage or input from the actors who lend their voices to “The Incredibles.” But all in all, you can’t help but love this movie and its characters. For once, animated superheroes come across as normal people who, at the same time, can pull off the super-exaggerated heroics that the medium of film does not allow. Anyone who buys this DVD will not regret it and will surely look at computer animation in a different light.