The Incredibles
Some movies have a way of burrowing a special nook in my heart. Just a single word from Edna in “The Incredibles” brings me back to Sunday mornings spent curled up on my living room couch watching movies on Disney channel. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to rewatch some of my old favorites and realized that my six-year-old taste is not as discerning as I had thought. Many movies I had adored in my younger days are now either plain, old and unwatchable or so bad that they loop back around to being ironically funny. Because of this, I was hesitant to rewatch “The Incredibles” after several years, but thankfully the movie lived up to all of my expectations.
Seeing the Parr family do their thing instantly reignited my childhood dreams of being a superhero. “The Incredibles” does a good job of drawing out this hopeful fantasy. The Parrs are close enough to your average white suburban family that they feel normal, making them easy to place in the context of my life. I latched onto them quickly, as I saw in them familiar people. In the bickering among the kids, Dash’s track meet and Bob’s work routine I almost feel a sense of déja vu. This made it easier for me to pretend or hope that I too have some power waiting in the wings that I will one day discover. Of course, unlike the Parr family and Frozone, I will never develop some superhuman power. Nevertheless, it’s still fun to pretend.
Upon re-watching the film, however, I’ve noticed some depth that the younger version of myself certainly did not appreciate. In the downfall of Bob Parr, we see the danger of our society’s culture of normality and averageness, and the suppression of unique abilities. Parr was ultimately forced into hiding by the greater world’s inability to deal with his powers. While the dull nature of Parr’s life when he’s in hiding brought out a childlike wonder in me, it also made me sad to see how the special talents of the Parrs are forcefully concealed and made dull by society’s inability to deal with differences. The Parr family’s rise on the other hand, promoted a message I had not considered in the viewings of my early childhood:unique talents and differences should be celebrated and nourished. Although cheesy, I still appreciate the sentiment.
The real highlight of “The Incredibles” is the delight that is Edna Mode. I would gladly watch a movie that features no other characters. The delivery on all of her lines is perfect. Her lines are perfect. The movie would be acceptable without her, but Edna is what makes “The Incredibles” fantastic. Everything she says is somehow hilarious and utterly quotable. She is fun and entertaining for any viewer.
“The Incredibles” is unique among children’s movies in that it holds appeal for viewers of multiple generations. The movie’s emotions and jokes are ones that can be understood by many, and as a result will prove to be a timeless favorite.