It’s been a long time since Helaine and I took in an afternoon movie. Why not? Work doesn’t begin until 3:00 PM. Today we went to see The Incredibles.
Cheap lines first: The Incredibles is not incredible. It’s good – not great.
Some of the animation, especially the backgrounds, is so good as to look real. The character animation was very good too.
About halfway through the movie I turned to Helaine to say it seemed awfully intense for a kid movie. It was only then that I was told it was rated PG. That was a surprise – and if I would have brought a small child, I would have been concerned by some of the intensity and violence.
The acting was excellent. These characters were played as real people using their own unadulterated voices. I was able to place Craig T. Nelson’s voice, but I was stumped on that ID for the first half of the movie. Holly Hunter, a real favorite of mine, was much easier to recognize.
What was missing in this film? My Cousin Michael put his finger on it. The villain just wasn’t well enough fleshed out. I think he’s right.
When the movie ended, I stayed and watched every name in the credits. It was surprising to see just how many there were, and in how many different compartmentalized units. People for hair and cloth, lighting animators, backgrounds. I would guess as many people worked on this animated movie as would work on a live film.
What’s the bottom line? I’m glad I saw it, but it wasn’t as special as I wanted. With as few movies as I see, and as much as they cost, I deserve special. Don’t I?