With the success of recent live action comic based films, animated series, and games, super hero mania is at an all time high as pending films featuring Ghost Rider and Wonder Woman as well as sequels to X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman, and Superman are on the way.

Thankfully, the creative talents at Pixar have crafted a new animated classic that blends classic superhero lore with real world realities to create a film that the whole family will enjoy.

In “The Incredibles”, audiences are introduced to Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), a larger than life hero and man about town who always has time to serve the public even if it is for something as simple as a cat stuck in a tree.

Life takes an unexpected turn for super heroes when the city and several heroes become the focal point of several lawsuits from people affected by collateral damage and other factors related to crime fighting. Unable to pay the mounting fees, an agreement is reached that all claims will be dropped if heroes agree not to practice their craft anymore and become normal members of society.

Flash forward 15 years, and Mr. Incredible is now known simply as Bob Parr, an overweight and frustrated insurance salesman who is constantly at odds with his boss as he dares to care for the common man.

His wife Helen (Holly Hunt), is the former Elastigirl, and is content in the role of housewife and caring for their three children, all of whom have powers of their own save for the youngest Jack Jack who has yet to show any abilities.

Years of frustration have taken their toll on Bob as aside for his so called bowling nights, he has little escape from his unhappy situation. Bob loves his wife and family but dislikes using the guise of bowling as an excuse to sneak out with ex-hero Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson), to chase petty crooks.

While this is in strict defiance of the new laws regarding super heroes, Bob takes the risks even knowing that in doing so, he could be exposing his family and forcing them to relocate yet again to protect their secret identities.

Just when Bob is at his wits end, hope arrives in the form of a mysterious caller who claims to represent a secret government organization who needs Mr. Incredible for a series of missions. As if all of his prayers and dreams have been answered, Bob jumps back into action telling his family that he is away on business for the insurance company.

Naturally things do not go as planned as Bob soon becomes a pawn in a dangerous trap that not only has his life in peril but that of his families and the entire world as well. With no time to spare, Helen is forced to suit up and bring her family along in a desperate attempt to rescue Bob and save the world.

While the setup and characters in the film are very likeable, the film plays out very long, and there are many parts that drag out and in hindsight are unnecessary to the film. It takes almost 80 minutes for the action in the film to get going and when it does arrive it is in many ways anti-climatic. That being said, the animation is first rate and there are some great jokes in the film. The voice work is effective and it seems as if the cast is having a great time bringing their characters to life.

I also liked the way that Pixar has geared this film to appeal to older viewers as well as the younger audience that powered their past films to great box office returns. Despite some growing pains, there is a lot to like in this film as Pixar has once again set the standard for all other animation companies to aspire to.

4 stars out of 5

gareth@nwlink.com

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Book News:  My First Book of Film and game reviews and interviews is ready. To order or download your copy, click the link. A downloadable copy is only $5.00 a Bound is under $20.00