Incredible fun

A couple of nights ago I went to see The Incredibles at the cinema. What can I say but that this is funniest, most enjoyable movie I've seen in ages.

Pixer have done it again and produced an animated masterpiece, with great characters, incredible special effects, engaging storyline and wonderful gags.

The basic plot is that a retired super-hero couple, Mr Incredible and Elastigirl, come out of retirement, along with their kids, to battle an evil enemy. However that is a truly inadequate description of a move that is quite simply great fun to watch and forms a wonderful homage to various genres such as Bond movies, super hero movies and action movies generally.

The heart of the movie is the wonderful contrast between the Parr family, as a modern semi-dysfunctional family complete with a shy highly self-conscious teenage daughter, an overworked mum, a father frustrated by his day job plus a wayward son getting into trouble at school, and their superhero alter egos with their special powers and the desire to do good and battle evil.

Numerous hilarious gags are built around this contrast and around the heroes' use of their powers. Especially good are the scenes where the kids are finally allowed to use their powers to the full and find out what they're capable of. And the characters developed through the film as they battle with and confront their hangups -- a nice parallel with their battles with the evil enemy "Syndrome".

Mixed in with all this we have a designer of super hero costumes who's a brilliant parody of a fashion designer, a Bond-esque base inside a volcanic Island which becomes the setting for much of the action and of course the sort of stunning computer animation that is Pixar's trademark. There's even a theme mixed in about the ill effects of the culture of compensation and litigation, though it's not allowed to stand in the way of the sheer fun of this movie.

An enjoyable romp from beginning to end. I recommend you take your kids (if you have any), your partner or your friends to see it. Just be careful as you might crack your ribs laughing!