Megadittoes to Frederica
Mathewes-Green’s review of “The Incredibles” on NRO today. I took Matthew to
see it on Saturday afternoon, and we both thought it was fantastic (though I
would say the plot is too complicated and maybe even intense in parts for
little bitties). Matthew’s mother and I are very strict about the movies we
let him see, and almost all kids’ movies come and go without us even
considering taking our son to the theater. At the risk of repeating some of
Frederica’s points, let me say that “The Incredibles,” typical of Pixar’s
work, gives us a terrific story absent the standard elements you see in
kids’ movies these days: 1) smart-mouthed kids, 2) parents set up to look
like boobs, 3) too-clever-by-half pop culture references, 4) sexual double
entendres, and 5) politically correct messages. You get none of that in “The
Incredibles.”
In fact, one particularly surprising and wonderful aspect about the film is
how conservative it is in one particular respect. You know how the Disney
films are always, always about building self-esteem, e.g., the need to
“believe in yourself” and all that? Well, “The Incredibles” is about a world
in which superheroes are not allowed to use their gifts because society has
decided, in various ways, that mediocrity and avoiding risk-taking are the
qualities it wishes to honor. In fact, the villain in the film is an
untalented twerp who uses his grievous sense of envy to destroy the talented
elites. “The Incredibles” shows that a unified traditional family in which
everyone is prepared to sacrifice for the greater good of the family is a
source of strength, and that an aristocracy of merit is good for society
overall. I’m sure the Left would hate this movie if they stopped to think
about it, but their kids will be having too much fun to be denied.