The Incredibles is the best Pixar movie

So, you know Pixar. I'm sure you love Pixar. We all love Pixar, despite the fact that every time we sit down in front of one of their movies, they tear out our hearts without even a hint of empathy.

Show

You probably have a favourite Pixar movie. Toy Story, I'm sure, is high on your list. Maybe you're partial to Finding Nemo. But I'm here to tell you that you are WRONG.

Because the best Pixar movie is, WITHOUT QUESTION, The Incredibles. And it has been slept on for 13 damn years.

First off, let's get the obvious out of the way: This movie gave us one of the most damn iconic scenes (and memes) of all time.

Sidenote: Having Samuel L Jackson voice the best friend character is a stroke of genius the likes of which none of us will ever experience.

People don't give this movie enough credit. Not only is it entertaining AF, it's also extremely clever – even the tiniest details are planned out to a T.

And the characters are great. Elastigirl shows young girls that they can GET SHIT DONE without the help of boys, which is always an important lesson for a kids' movie.

Seriously – the characters in this movie are the definition of I C O N I C. I mean, The Incredibles gifted us with Edna Mode. We have so much to be thankful for.

Not only does Edna understand the importance of being fabulous...

But she knows what she likes, and she knows exactly how to get it.

Guys, The Incredibles has a seriously great villain, and not only is his evil plan complex and full of ~plot twists~, but we also get to see HIS ORIGIN STORY.

And as well as having a super rewarding plot, it's also just really funny.

But most of all, it's a movie about ❤️ family ❤️ – it's just a family that happen to all have superpowers.

(Seriously – what teenage girl ~hasn't~ had an argument like this with her mother?)

It's also just an insanely beautiful movie.

And the animation is seriously on point.

But the BEST PART? We only have a year to wait for the sequel.

DON'T SLEEP ON IT.

TV and Movies

Get all the best moments in pop culture & entertainment delivered to your inbox.

The Incredibles is still an unforgettable ride, and an obvious reminder of why its sequel has been so anticipated.

As The Incredibles 2 hits theaters, we thought it was the perfect time to take a look once again at why we love the original Pixar film so much!
Many of the best superhero movies aren’t really great because they're about beating up the bad guys and showing off cool powers. They’re great because of the human stories they tell through the super-powered set pieces and villainous plots. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is great because it’s a take on ‘70s paranoia spy thrillers wrapped up in the similar worries citizens have today of a nanny state. The Dark Knight is a masterstroke because of how it blurs the lines between right and wrong and the power of choices and their consequences. And The Incredibles is such an enduring Pixar classic — and incredible superhero film — for its very real look at the struggles of keeping a family together, parenthood, chasing our glory days, and what it means to truly be exceptional.

But it sure doesn’t hurt that its main characters have a blast being superheroes, too.

The Incredibles 2 Characters/Voice Cast

Pixar has created its fair share of modern animated classics, but few have left fans clamoring more for a return to its world — and made them wait so long — as The Incredibles. From minute one, Brad Bird’s joyous, honest, and mature-yet-whimsical film establishes a superhero universe with its own distinct tone and style.

From minute one, The Incredibles creates a distinct world.

Supers were once beloved, and loved their own work, but too much collateral damage and governmental pressure forced them all into hiding. And so the Supes Formerly Known as Mr. Incredible and ElastiGirl lived simply as Bob and Helen Parr, whose excitement came not from the thrill of the chase or the glory of the public eye. Instead, it’s derived from finally unpacking all of their boxes in their new home or watching their newborn Jack-Jack grow.

Of course, that enthusiasm isn’t fully shared by Bob, who remains wistful for his spandex days and jumps at a dubious opportunity to return to them. What follows is an engrossing story of identity, the joys and tribulations of parenthood and marriage, responsibility, and so much more.And it’s those elements, brought to life by Pixar’s beautiful animation and the voice acting of the ensemble, that make The Incredibles such a deeply relatable, enduring film.

All of these characters' plights feel real and honest.

Violet’s sense of isolation and misunderstanding by those around her. Dash’s desire to be his full self in a society that may not want him to. Helen’s love for her family, and particularly Bob, while having to reckon with the secrets they keep from society and, occasionally, from each other. Bob’s struggle to maintain a “normal” life and appreciate the world around him while having to tamp down on a major part of who he is. And even Syndrome’s need to find identity in someone else, unhappy with who he is and his own life.

All of these plights feel real and honest; issues any of us watching might go through under different circumstances. (Unless some of you reading this are superheroes in hiding, of course.) The relatability of those themes, and the care with which they’re explored inside the trappings of a superhero movie, made The Incredibles feel so fresh in 2004 and still so relevant today.There’s one element of the film that’s difficult to quantify but I think made all the difference in ensuring The Incredibles’ longevity — joy. Both from those who created the film and from the characters themselves, there exists an exuberance about the world of The Incredibles that is downright infectious. It shines through in the character arcs, smartly woven through the narrative’s biggest moments to make them as fun as they are emotional to watch. It shines through the animation, which gives each hero, villain, and citizen in need a distinct personality. And it shines through the characters themselves, those who love being part of this world, or are just beginning to find themselves in it.

And trying to find yourself in the world, whether it’s one filled with people who can turn invisible and shoot ice from their hands or one less superpowered like ours, is a universal struggle. We all reckon with our identity, who we are, can be, and should be based on what society, family, and our own minds tells us. The Incredibles shows that this journey can happen at any point in our lives, and may still be ongoing years after we think we’ve figured out.

Which is why it’s so exciting to finally return to such an incredible world.

Jonathon Dornbush is an Associate Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

In This Article

The Incredibles is the best Pixar movie

Is The Incredibles the best Pixar movie?

While The Incredibles is one of the best Pixar movies of all time, Incredibles 2 isn't far behind. In fact, according to many Pixar fans, it's even better and well worth the 14-year wait.

What is considered the best Pixar movie?

All Pixar Movies Ranked By Tomatometer.
#1. Toy Story 2 (1999) 100% 87% #1. ... .
#2. Toy Story (1995) 100% 92% #2. ... .
#3. Finding Nemo (2003) 99% 86% #3. ... .
#4. Inside Out (2015) 98% 89% #4. ... .
#5. Toy Story 3 (2010) 98% 90% #5. ... .
#6. Up (2009) 98% 90% #6. ... .
#7. Toy Story 4 (2019) 97% 94% #7. ... .
#8. Coco (2017) 97% 94% #8..

Why The Incredibles is the best movie ever?

Below are 4 reasons why "The Incredibles" is Pixar's best movie:.
It captures the best aspects of classic superhero stories — while also being ahead of its time. Disney/Pixar. ... .
It's a thrilling action movie ... Disney/Pixar. ... .
... but also a relatable family drama. ... .
It has a rich history not seen in other Pixar movies..

Is The Incredibles The best animated movie?

Nominated for four Academy Awards, and winner of Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, The Incredibles is one of the best-animated films of the 2000s. A cross between Toy Story, Superman, and Office Space, it provides an endless array of action sequences, visual creativity, and well-delivered humour.