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  The Incredibles
Director: Brad Bird Plot: After a spate of lawsuits superheroes are forced into a relocation program and told to get normal jobs. The No. 1 superhero, Mr Incredible, has a real problem with this. Despite a family and a job, Mr Incredible feels trapped until some mysterious goings on tempts him back into superherodom.
Writer: Brad Bird
Starring: Craig T Nelson
  Holly Hunter
Jason Lee
Genre: Animated Comedy Cert: Critic -
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Perhaps the most incredible thing about The Incredibles is that it is not, in fact, incredible. What is incredible is the incredible reviews The Incredibles has been garnering, and it is also incredible that I have been able to use "incredible" a lot without getting incredibly confused. Anyway, enough of this nonsense, onto more serious matters. The Incredibles is largely entertaining, with standout moments throughout and well sketched characters. The problem is, Pixar's standard is so high and their output of such a quality that The Incredibles falls a little short of it's last feature. Amazingly enough, though, is that unlike other studios who come up shorter than previous efforts, Pixar have still managed to produce one of the best films of the year. The animation is fresh and crisp, and the sketching of the characters, large bodies and small legs, gives you the impression they are slightly larger than life. The water effects are, once again, absolutely astounding, although it doesn't capture the same awe as Finding Nemo's luscious visuals. The film also employs a more adult storyline and tone, employing character development over buddy comedy. They manage to create characters who you can identify with, in spite of their superpowers, and you can understand the trauma each character is trying to deal with. As for the bad guy, usually the most important character in a superhero movie, he is a nice caricature of all other super villains. The one step above he has from his kinsmen is you feel sympathy for him, however seeing him get his come-uppance still makes you smile.

The most important element in animation in allowing the audience to emote to the characters are the voice cast. They are first class. Nelson's despair really hits the mark with respect to the hum-drum lives most of us lead (how many times have you wanted to throw your boss halfway through the building).
On the flipside, when he gets the chance to be "super" again, his tone changes, and the regained confidence you see on the screen is matched in the voice. Hunter, who I have never had much time for, provides Elastagirl with a mix of homely wife-like whining and sultry "come on boy wink wink"
sexiness. The stand out, obviously, is the ever magnificent Jason Lee, a man whom I genuinely believe should be in every film made. His manic mad genius jumps from maniacal delight to self defecating doubt, although he always delivers his lines with a panache that is only allowed when you're the villain. I want more Lee!!

I am perhaps a bit harsh on The Incredibles, it is thoroughly entertaining and consistently funny. Nemo, however, it is not.