The Incredibles



Winner of 2 Oscars (Best Achievement in Sound Editing and Best Writing, Original Screenplay), The Incredibles, also know as The Invincibles or The Fantastics, written and directed by John Lasseter, was released on November 5, 2004 and was produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. This computer animated film was supposed to be a New Line Cinema production, but when New Line Cinema closed down its animation division, Lasseter brought the family of superheroes with him to Pixar.

Plot
The story involves a disjointed family of superheroes that at first attempt to blend in with the rest of the non-super world, but who must then come together and use their powers to combat a new villain, Syndrome (voiced by Jason Lee). Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (voiced by Holly Hunter), famous supers (super heroes), after a series of lawsuits go into a witness protection program that put an end to their superhero days. At this point they become know as Bob and Helen Parr and start a family. However, their children Violet (voiced by Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voiced by Spencer Fox) also possess magical powers, though the youngest child, Jack-Jack (voiced by Eli Fucile) has yet to show any powers. After Bob is fired from his job as a claims adjuster for the insurance company, Insuracare, he is offered an assignment that involves hero work and which consists in taming a robot gone out of control. A couple of months later, Bob is offered another job and is this time overpowered by the robot that turns out to have been made by Syndrome. The rest of the movie involves the family coming to Bob's rescue.

Release and Reaction
The film was released theatrically on November 5th, 2004 in the United States and garnered a 97% positive critical response on the RottenTomatoes website.. In its opening weekend the film grossed over 70 million dolalrs in the United States and went on to gross over 250 million domestically and over 600 million dollars worldwide.

Animation Style
The Incredibles utilizes computer animation to create a vibrant and naturalistic world. The various backgrounds, whether tropical or urban, all look extremely realistic. The characters, on the other hand, are slightly more iconic. Their hair is still animated in a realistic manner, but their eyes and facial composition cause them to appear more "cartoony". In addition, the various supehero characters move in unnatural ways. Elastigirl's limbs stretch, Dash runs on water, and Mr. Incredible is, well, incredible. He can benchpress trains, fight gigantic robots, or do pretty much anything. Even though they are capable of moving in ways normal humans cannot, their movements are still fairly realistic. In other words, they move exactly as one would expect a superhero to move. This combination of naturalistuc backgrounds, iconic characters, and realistic yet impossible motion allows the movie to be amusing and identifiable for the viewer. The viewer is capable of seeing his or herself within any of the characters' large iconic eyes and is willing to do so because of the familiarity of the movie's setting.