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The Incredibles
- Review Date: March 13, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Top-notch, action-packed fun for the entire family.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this animated Pixar film is considered one of their all-time best for portraying mature themes about families in a way that both kids and adults can enjoy. Because of the movie's focus on a superhero family, there's much more violence than is usually featured in comparable PG-rated movies. The family adventure includes all sorts of weapons, explosions, deaths, wide-spread destruction and more. A few characters are shown with drinks in hand, and one character even smokes a long-stemmed cigarette. Despite the intensity of the Bond-level violence, there are plenty of positive themes about family, courage, and identity to make this a must-see for families.
What's the story?
Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), a superheroine whose limbs and torso can stretch the length of an Olympic swimming pool, pauses for just a second on the way to saving the world to check out her rear end in the form-fitting super-suit. Seems that after three kids, there's a bit of stretching there that doesn't have anything to do with superpowers. Her super-strong husband, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), finds that if he isn't careful throwing evil robots around, he can throw his back out, too. Everyday life is challenging enough for these superhero parents, especially with a young baby, a super-speedy son, and a middle-school daughter who can create force fields and make herself invisible. Cleverly these super-powers resemble some familiar family roles -- powerful dad, stretched-thin mom, hyperactive jock son, shy and awkward daughter -- and add resonance to this story of family who sticks together, no matter what.
Is it any good?
What is most incredible and most engaging about THE INCREDIBLES is how, well, credible it is. Writer-director Brad Bird and the brainiacs at Pixar have climbed the Mount Everest of animation and created human characters as vivid and believable and utterly endearing as any who have ever appeared on film -- animation, live-action, and everything in between. In a witty prologue, we see the superheroes being interviewed. As Mr. Incredible leans toward the TV camera, he gets slightly out of focus. It must have been tempting to take advantage of the endless precision of computer images to keep the edges sharp. But this is a movie that is clever and confident enough to permit a little imperfection in pursuit of perfect believability.
The action sequences are superbly staged, inventive, and exciting, especially the fights with a many-tentacled robot, and when the Incredible family is joined by the very, um, cool Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson), who can create ice out of the water molecules in the air. It's also a very funny movie, hilarious at every level, from school-age snickers to good-natured teen snarkiness to subtle grown-up laughter. Bird himself plays the funniest character in the film, the supersuit designer Edna Mode. Most of all, though, the movie has wisdom and tons of heart. It's a smart, fresh, and funny movie about the real superheroes: families who stick together.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what superpowers they would most like to have and why. What would your uniform look like? Why did Violet begin to wear her hair back after she used her superpowers, and what made Syndrome so angry?
Talk about the violence in the movie. Did it bother you? Did you notice yourself feeling more aggressive after watching? Would the movie have been as effective without the violence?
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AGE
May be too intense for younger kids
The Incredibles was a great movie. The action is non-stop but there is nothing serious. The characters care for and support each other.
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AGE
As, dare I say, incredible, this movie is, many things little ones shouldn't watch are snuck in. 1) A man attempts suicide and sues the person who stops him. 2) In one scene, it is repeatedly stated that a girl is "hungry" for a guy she has romantic feelings for. This would bother me less if the character in question was not a teenager no older than fourteen. 3)Word of warning: A married couple are made to appear as if they are on the verge of divorce after only one argument. This could open up discussions about arguments between parents. 4)A major plot point is a woman believes her husband is having an affair. You might want to explain what this means with their kids beforehand. If they are not old enough to understand that, they should not see this movie. 5) Not to nitpick, but a police officer immediately pulls out a gun when he sees two men he thinks are robbing a jewelry store. A real police officer would first talk to the robber, and if that didn't work, use pepper spray. It is only at that point that he would pull a gun.
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AGE
For kids age 8+ to see WITH their parents
IF a 5+ age child sees this they will see the violence, question (silently or aloud) the passionate kissing and butt pinching. When did saying 'totally wicked' become a good thing? There is a part where the mom tells the kids that violence is real and they need to be careful. Weird that this would be put in the movie which is filled with references to sex, bad words, violence, et cetera. My husband and I like it, but as I look for good examples for my kids, I realize the little details that the movie company put in this, do make an impact.
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AGE
Good, but a bit dark.
I really enjoyed it, but it WAS much darker than Finding Nemo or Monster's Inc. Ideal for the action lover or superhero fan, or anyone over the 6-8 range. Wish they'd made a sequel.
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AGE
Suggested MPAA Rating:
PG for sensuality, violence, thematic material.
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AGE
A fun-to-watch combinaton of a super hero movie combined with a warm family-oriented pixar flick.
I remember seeing this movie a long time ago. I was never so impressed at what I saw before in my life. Parents don't need to worry that much. Violence is the only key issue. You see Mrs. and Mr. Incredible pinching each others butt in one montage (you don't actually see thier hands, just thier reactions and it's only for about 4 seconds with no sound just music). I also said that the main role model, Mr. Incredible lies to his wife about his job. But he does learn from his mistakes.
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AGE
An all-time classic
The combination of real characters, James-Bondy main storyline and wonderful animation make this one of our family's all time favorites
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AGE
Violent animated family film!
Amazing family film! Very cool and sophisticated. If you love a good action movie (although this one is animated) then watch this one. It might be pretty intense for young kids. Lots of violence and sexy stuff is included. Some romantic kissing, suspecting cheating and adultery, stuff like that. Some drinking and a character smokes. Even though it is really violent, it still has a positive message about teamwork and cooperation. 12 and up is A-OK.
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Kid, 10 years old
April 8, 2011
AGE
AWESOMEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, superheroes, adventures, book characters, great boy role models, great girl role models |
| Studio: | Pixar Animation Studios |
| Director: | Brad Bird |
| Cast: | Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 105 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | November 5, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | March 15, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | action violence |
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