The Incredibles

SF elements

superheroes
  1. The Incredibles (2004)
  2. Incredibles 2 (2018)

2004 / TV

[DVD cover]
The Incredibles

When Bob Parr, Mr Incredible, married Helen, Elastigirl, they were two of the top revered superhero crimefighters. But after a public backlash, all the superheroes were relocated, and required to live “normal” lives. Fifteen years later, they are living in suburbia with their rebellious superhero children. Bob is frustrated at not being able to save people, and is lured back into an undercover mission. Naturally, this is not all it seems, and soon the whole family are in the superhero business, saving the world from a new super-villain.

This is … incredible. It is a very funny, very clever, very sympathetic spoof of the superhero genre. From its TV documentary interviews about secret identities, via its superhero costume design including the reason for the lack of capes, to its super-villain base, it is highly inventive. The plot keeps moving along, and it is "family oriented" without being cloying or sentimental. Great fun.

Rating: 2

[ unmissable | great stuff | worth watching | mind candy | waste of time | unfinishable ]

reviewed 29 May 2005

2018 / DVD

[DVD]
Incredibles 2

The Incredibles attempt to foil a bank robbery, but the damage they leave behind is … incredible. So the government shuts down the superheroes, again. A billionaire businessman wants to reintroduce superheroes, so offers Elastigirl the chance to be their friendly face, leaving Mr Incredible at home to watch the kids, and deal with . But there’s a villain at large, threatening all superheroes. Can the superfamily pull together to win the day?

This has all the wit and cleverness of the original, although the villain is a little easier to spot this time, and some of the set pieces feel like they are their to show off the animation rather than further the plot. But with the cameo from Edna Mode designing a costume suitable for baby Jack-Jack’s blossoming powers, some new superheroes, the hypno-goggles, and the billionaire mansion, it’s a great follow-up to the original.

Rating: 3

[ unmissable | great stuff | worth watching | mind candy | waste of time | unfinishable ]

reviewed 30 May 2020