100 Greatest Superhero Stories Ever
By Steve Lam
Image Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios
#24. The Incredibles
Medium
Animated Feature Film
Release Dates
October 27, 2004 (London Film Festival)
November 5, 2004 (United States)
Credits
Director: Brad Bird
Writer: Brad Bird
Cast: Craig T. Nelson as Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible, Holly Hunter as Helen Parr / Elastigirl, Sarah Vowell as Violet Parr, Spencer Fox as Dashiell Robert “Dash” Parr / The Dash, Jason Lee as Buddy Pine / Incredi-Boy / Syndrome, Samuel L. Jackson as Lucius Beset / Frozone, Elizabeth Pena as Mirage, Brad Bird as Edna Mode, Eli Fucile and Maeve Andrews as Jack-Jack Parr, Bud Luckey as Rick Dicker, Wallace Shawn as Gilbert Huph, John Ratzenberger as The Underminer, Dominique Louis as Bomb Voyage
The Reason It’s Great
Leave it to Disney/Pixar to make a multi-Oscar-winning animated film about superheroes. The Incredibles was unique in that it was the first Pixar animated film to have an all-human cast of characters, which presented many challenges to the technical team.
After the public turns against superhumans, Bob and Helen Parr, former superheroes, retire to suburbia to live a normal life with their superpowered children—Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. However, Bob still longs for the days of being a hero. So, at night, he secretly fights crime as a vigilante.
When a mysterious woman approaches and asks him for his help in stopping a deadly threat, Bob becomes Mr. Incredible again. He soon discovers that the woman is working for Syndrome, a former fan he spurned who’s now looking for revenge. Bob and his family must now work together to save the world from Syndrome’s plans.
The Incredibles was released to critical and fan acclaim, and went on to win Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing. It also received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing. On many lists, The Incredibles is considered to be one of the top films of the decade.