Pixar does it again with predictable but funny Incredibles

Thursday, November 11, 2004

After tackling monsters, toys, fish and bugs, it was only a matter of time before Pixar took aim at superheroes. So its no surprise that the studios latest effort, The Incredibles, uses caped crusaders to push forward a solid (if somewhat familiar) piece of work.

Entertaining and clever enough to overcome its limitations, The Incredibles tells the tale of a family of superheroes forced into the Witness Protection Program after a series of lawsuits filed by people that they have saved.

The family is trying to lead a normal life, but they struggle adjusting to their new surroundings in the suburbs. Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson of Coach fame) is stuck in a dead-end office job for an insurance company, longing for his glory days as Mr. Incredible. His wife, Helen (Holly Hunter) formerly known as Elastigirl is more content with the new life, although raising three children who are coping with budding super powers proves to be difficult.

Soon enough, however and this will come as no surprise the family is forced out of retirement when someone from Mr. Incredibles past returns, intent on revenge.

The animation is still top-notch, with several sequences providing that special spark that has become a staple of Pixar films. At nearly two hours (a Titanic running time for an animated film), The Incredibles moves along at a pace even my 3-year-old son could hang on to.

There is some nice work from Nelson and Hunter, but they get strong support from Samuel J. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) as Mr. Incredibles best friend, Frozone, and Jason Lee (Chasing Amy) as the evil Syndrome, intent on destroying all superheroes.

Still, Brad Birds story was a little flat. There are some nice touches, especially the way that Mr. Incredible copes with having a 9-to-5 job, but the finale leaves a feeling a lot like the Spy Kids films.

Its a credit to the rest of The Incredibles that it manages to pull off its thrill-ride on some heavily treaded tires. The film may not rank up there with Toy Story or Finding Nemo as a slam-dunk classic, but it still has enough going for it to please both children and adults.

Discount dandy of the week

This weeks discount dandy is Hero (B-), an acceptable adventure that features some breathtaking action sequences and exquisite cinematography. It also has some good work by Jet Li and Zhang Ziyi from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Directed by Zhang Yimou, Hero tells the story of an assassin (named, appropriately enough, Nameless), played by Jet Li, and his quest to overthrow the soon-to-be emperor of China.

Yimou still has the visual spark he displayed in the far superior Raise the Red Lantern, but he has obviously been influenced by Crouching Tiger, creating an action film with a grand visual spectacle and a sense of almost ballet-like fantasy.

Some of the best moments of Hero include swordplay that involves dancing across ponds and whisking through tree tops. Sure, Crouching Tiger set the standard, but Yimou keeps the style fresh.

The time-shifting storyline is sometimes difficult to follow, and I really thought the film went on longer than it should have. Still, its worth seeing, especially if you were a fan of Crouching Tiger.

Hero opens Friday at the Plaza 6, where all movies are $1.50.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700