The Incredibles

Review by Richard Lee

Disney/Pixar Studios / 2004 / 115 Minutes / Rated PG
Street Date: March 15, 2005

Specifications:
-DVD-Video
-DVD-9
-Region 1

Aspect Ratio:
-2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen

Audio:
-English 5.1
-Spanish 5.1
-French 5.1

Subtitle Options:
-English
-Spanish
-French
-Off

Main Menu:
-Introduction (01:00)
-Play Movie (1:55:00)
-Commentaries
-Scene Selection
-Sneak Peeks
-Set Up
-Index

Bonus Features:
-Included on Disc 2 (to be covered at the end of review)

Attention all DVD and Home Theater enthusiasts! "The Incredibles" is the reference DVD of 2005 to have if you want to show off your home theater or just want to enjoy the best movie of 2004. Disney/Pixar, the folks who brought us exquisitely animated movies about insects, toys, and fish, have collaborated with Brad (The Iron Giant) Bird and have come up with their first effort dealing with humans, or rather super-humans; and what an effort it is. I'll try to refrain from using the obvious word to describe this movie and its transfer onto DVD but movies like this are the reason we want to have the biggest and best home theater screen there is. DVD and digital animation were made for each other. I can't imagine how much more of an improvement there could possibly be seeing this movie on HD-DVD or Blue-Ray; this is about as close to HD that today's DVD can get.

This also happens to be Disney/Pixar's first PG rated movie and for good reason. This isn't your grandfather's cutesy Disney flick; characters in this movie are killed and children's lives are put in peril; the boy of the family actually takes a punch from an adult villain! What also sets this movie apart is that the characters' fallibilities and insecurities are thoroughly fleshed out and in so doing makes us truly concerned for their well-being when up against a seemingly impervious foe. Indeed, some of the action set-pieces are so intense, even for an animated film, that parents may need to think twice before letting their five or six year olds watch this. Mr. Incredible, voiced by Craig T. Nelson, belongs to a group of established super-heroes. He has the power of brute strength; basically Superman without the gift of flight. The Super heroine of the movie, Elastigirl, voiced by Holly Hunter, has the power to expand and stretch every part of her body for whatever purpose. One of their crime-fighting friends, Frozone, voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, has the power to create ice and snow; his character figures prominently in the film's climax. The movie begins with our heroes going about their normal routine of fighting crime and saving lives. However, with a stroke of grim reality, the super-heroes are put out of action because their liability insurance can not keep up with all the lawsuits hurled against them. They are therefore forced into anonymity by the Superhero Relocation Program and attempt to lead normal non-crime-fighting lives. Mr. Incredible, now Bob Parr, has married Elastigirl, now Helen Parr, and "got busy" producing three children. The daughter, Violet, is an alienated teen who fittingly has the power to disappear and to generate a force field. The son, Dash, is the typical hyper-active adolescent with the power of speed. The baby, Jack-Jack, has a power that isn't revealed until the very end and even then, it is un-explainable. 

After years of blending into the lifestyle of a normal human, Bob finds himself stuck in one major rut. He finds himself longing for the days when he made a difference and was recognized by a grateful public for his heroic acts. He and his buddy Frozone even sneak out at night and listen to the police scanner in an effort to help out and relive their past. Then one day, Bob gets a seemingly benign message from a mysterious source to assist in an alleged military operation. Only then does he learn the identity of his arch-nemesis, Sydrome, voiced by Jason Lee, and his dastardly plan to eliminate all the superheroes, including Bob's family, from existence. This sets in motion the exciting second half of the picture which plays out like a James Bond flick on steroids. Even the familiar music from the James Bond films is paid tribute by Michael Giacchino's score which resonates with John Barry's themes. Along the way, we meet the movie's version of Q, which is personified by a midget super-suit designer named Edna Mode, voiced by the writer/director himself.

I heartily recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys a good time at the movies. This film succeeds on all levels; not only is it a great superhero action comedy, it is also a well-written ode to family love and loyalty. I have to put "The Incredibles" as my favorite film of 2004; with "Spiderman 2" a close second. Disney should do everything in their power to keep Pixar as a partner in the animation department. Their collaboration has produced some of the most magical and successful family fare in the past decade.

Picture Quality:

As I mentioned before, the image quality of this DVD would be tough to surpass. Because disc one is devoted almost entirely to the movie, the transfer rate is constantly pinned at the top of the Mbps meter. What we get is a picture of extreme sharpness with no hint of pixellation, edge enhancement, or color bleeding. Bob's life at work and at home are represented by dull grays and drab colors which articulate his humdrum existence; just as the adventure on the villain's island is represented by vibrant and lush colors and textures; from the aerial fly-bys to the jungle depths, every plant and stone is meticulously realized. You can feel the material of the costumes. Water looks wet; check out the patterns in the ice that Frozone creates; the debris that results in scenes of destruction. The attention to detail is absolutely astonishing.

Audio Quality:

I guess if there's one fault to find on the DVD, it's that there is no DTS track. As great as the Dolby Digital 5.1 EX mix is, I have to wonder how much more fidelity and presence there would have been with DTS. But not to worry, the DVD provides a 5.1 EX mix in English as well as Spanish and French. Hey guys! This is Region One! Give us an English 5.1 track in DTS and Dolby Digital and leave the European tracks to Region Two or wherever they belong. What's the point of region coding? But I digress, the sound field here is totally enveloping and the Omnidroid will certainly tax the LFE channel. The sound technicians had a field day authoring the dynamics of this movie; from the sounds of the jungle, the bubbling of the lava pit, the scampering of Dash's feet while he's outrunning his pursuers, the whizzing by of bullets; there is plenty of crossover among the speakers. And through it all, dialogue remains clear and audible. 

Scenes for Demonstration Purposes:

Practically the whole movie is one long demonstration piece but if I had to choose:
(18:30) - Dinner with the Parrs; (37:30) - Battle with the first Omnidroid; (68:15) - Missile attack on Helen's plane; (83:55) - Island pursuit of Dash and Violet; (96:57) - The Incredibles versus Omnidroid climax; (103:15) - The rescue of Jack-Jack.

Bonus Features:

Disc 1 starts up with sneak peeks at Pixar's forth-coming "Cars" and Disney's "Chicken Little"; both of which are offered with 5.1 tracks. Brad Bird also gives a short introduction recommending you to adjust your monitor with the THX Optimizer that is included with the disc. Finally, there are two commentary tracks; the first, with writer/director Brad Bird and producer John Walker. Here we learn, among other things, how the movie was originally conceived to have a darker tone with the death of one of the good guys. The second is given by a group of the animators. Both offer tons of insights and information into the process of making this movie.

Disc 2 is where the bulk of the bonus features is to be found; and unlike previous Disney/Pixar dvd's that were aimed at the kiddies with interactive games and such, this dvd is thankfully more for the grown-ups. After another intro by Brad for disc 2, we get the best bonus on this disc, the short "Jack-Jack Attack" which explains what happened with the babysitter who unwittingly thought Jack-Jack was just an ordinary baby; real funny stuff here. 

Next up is over half an hour of deleted scenes with intros by Brad as to why they didn't make the final cut. There are six scenes in roughly drawn, non-colored animation. The longest is an alternate opening that had the Parrs at a neighbor's bar-b-cue. We also get to meet the deleted character Snug who would have piloted Helen's plane. 

Behind the Scenes gives us a nice 27 minute Making Of featurette that takes us into Pixar studios and shows Bird directing his crew with real enthusiasm; a big kid at heart. More making of stuff covers everything from story and character development to set and sound and music design. Strangely, interviews with Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, and Samuel L. Jackson are nowhere in sight. Incredi-blunders is a short gag reel that has some amusing moments. Vowellet - An Essay by Sarah Vowell is the oddest bonus of this disc. It features writer Sarah Vowell, who voices the character Violet. Somehow, I felt this didn't belong on this disc; quite a tangent when regarding everything else. There is an Art Gallery featuring conceptual designs and Publicity which features the trailers for The Incredibles and the funny teaser with Mr. I trying to get his super tiny belt around his super huge waist. There are also four spoof interviews with the animated Supers themselves as the movie premiers.

Top Secret contains the sixties-style cartoon Mr. Incredible and Pals voiced by Craig T. and Samuel L. in a vintage spoof adventure. It also comes with an optional commentary track with Nelson and Jackson in character; Jackson is especially funny here. Another nice gimmick is the NSA Files which gives you a rundown on twenty-one Superheroes with soundbites and hero team affiliations.

Boundin', the animated short that preceded The Incredibles in theaters is included here. It is a musical fable about a jackalope and a shaved sheep. Pixar animator Bud Lucky offers a commentary for his creation and is further credited with a small featurette called "Who is Bud Lucky?"

Lastly, there are numerous Easter Eggs to be found on all the menu pages of this disc. You have to wait for an Omnidroid icon to appear at the top right of the screen. When it does, select it and you get a variety of tidbits thrown in; among them, a tribute to Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston and best of all, a montage of button-pushing and explosive moments from the movie. That's it! Enjoy the best movie of 2004 and the best dvd of 2005. It is, okay I'll say it, incredible!