On Movies & Media

Get out and vote this Friday for The Incredibles

This Friday, the unthinkable happens. We get a superhero movie that’s so good, it rivals Spider-man 2 as the best superhero movie of the year.

Jeffrey Overstreet

02 Nov 2004 • 2 min read

Filed under: On Movies & Media • The Incredibles • Pixar • Journal Entry • Give Me Some Light

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Time-Travel Update: As I revisit this November 2004 post in May of 2026, I can vividly remember my excitement at Pixar’s first feature film with Brad Bird at the helm. And I realize now that my first impressions of the animation were misguided. The Incredibles is a highly stylized film; it doesn’t aim for the same three-dimensional effects of Finding Nemo because it’s aiming to imitate comics of a particular period. (The Saul Bass-style opening credits make that very clear.) I’ve grown to admire the achievement in design more and more over the years. But it’s my claim in the post’s last line that really makes me laugh. Little did I know — little did we know, right?

This Friday, the unthinkable happens.

We get a superhero movie that’s so good, it rivals Spider-man 2 as the best superhero movie of the year.

Pixar’s The Incredibles keeps the studio’s perfect record: It hasn’t released a stinker yet. This is their most ambitious, action-packed film of all. But it’s distinct for several reasons, the most obvious of which is that the story will have a lot more to say to adults than to youngsters.

The Incredibles is very funny. There are a million laughs along the way. The voice talents — especially Holly Hunter — are again perfect.

Pixar and Brad Bird are a perfect match. Bird, the man responsible for The Iron Giant, brings the same lickety-split, Loony Tunes lunacy to these colorful, unforgettable characters.

But in comparison to other Pixar films, this one falls a just a bit short when it comes to singularity. The animation, while astonishing, seemed at times a bit flat and unfinished, compared to the immersive, awe-inspiring look of Finding Nemo.

Not to mention the fact that this one’s built out of used parts (comic book hero conventions), whereas all of the previous Pixar films have been worlds unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen too many superhero films, and this one, while it brings a freshness and energy to that kind of wonderland, packs a weaker punch than Toy Story because of so much familiarity. But it’s far better than A Bug’s Life and Monster’s Inc.

It’s certainly the most “grownup” of the Pixar movies. I was very surprised by a few of the adult-oriented punchlines along the way, and by the subtle acknowledgment of the threat of adultery and the allure of its “mirage.”

But these characters are instant classics, and I do hope there are sequels. My detailed review is coming to CT Movies on Friday.

Oh, and another thing. If you go see The Incredibles, you’ll see the trailer for Star Wars: Episode Three — Revenge of the Sith. Enjoy it. It’s the last time you’ll see a new trailer for an upcoming Star Wars film.