Flutterby™! : The Incredibles

Finally got around to seeing The Incredibles yesterday. Given the curve of Pixar films I expected to be well entertained with really cool visuals for an hour and a half.

We ended up sitting through the credits, not just because we felt obligated to read off all the names we knew (although, yes, that feeling does occur when I know members of the crew), but because even the credits were just damned cool. And when we left, Charlene, who'd said "do we have to see this one on the big screen?", said "I may have to see that one again".

I don't know what I can add to the accolades already awarded, but one of the things to note is that this is a Brad Bird film, and has some of the same sorts of subversive undertones that Iron Giant did. I'd even go so far as to compare the story to Neil Gaiman's work, and not just because both play with odd takes on superheroes.

But even at the basic level of "a really cool superhero story", this one works well. The visuals are stunning and take advantage of the technology while still saying true to an art direction that feels like a comic book, the lair of the villain has all the neat gadgetry you'd want a supervillain to create, the oft mentioned family and midlife crisis aspects thankfully do not degenerate into a heartwarming sitcom, and I'm going to buy the soundtrack when it becomes available.

If it had been another Finding Nemo I would have said "cute", acknowledged that it was once again visually stunning, but story-wise Pixar films would have dropped off my "must see" list. Instead, this one's very recommended.

Oh, and if the reaction of the kids at the matinee during the credits was any indication, Brad Bird has generated a brand all his own.