I got to watch The Incredibles last night with some fun friends of mine. It was definitely an incredible movie. Computer graphics have really improved over the last 15 years or so. I was really excited to see the concepts I learned in my Computer Graphics fleshed out on screen (no pun intended). The lighting was excellent, the resolution was amazing, and real-time interaction engines for all of the different elements in each scene blew me away. If God were to point me in a direction other than medicine, I would hope that He sends me in the direction of graphics.

As far as the actual content of the movie, I must say that I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. Pixar/Disney has a talent for creating funny movies. Of course, being the overanalyzer I am, I proceeded to break down the motifs and themes I saw in the movie on the trip back to the dorms (sorry, Mitch). I also thought about applications I could make to real life (good and bad).

1. We were created for something incredible. Each of us can sense that there is a greater purpose for our lives than mediocrity and anonymity. While I wouldn’t say that we’re super-heroes, but there really is something within us that resonates with the frustration of Bob Parr. For men, at least, we long to fight the battles, live dangerously, and use our strengths to help people. Being forced to sit at a boring desk job with no outlet for our God-given masculinity is frustrating. For similar thoughts, read books such as Wild At Heart and Waking The Dead, or any other books by John Eldredge.


2. Men and women are different. While this is not a surprise to me or many others, I think you can see this played out in how Bob and Helen handle situations. Bob, as the leader and protector of his family, believes that he needs to shoulder the burden of protection alone. I remember hearing something from a Men’s Frat session about how post-WWII men knew a great deal about sacrifice and protection, but very little about leading within a family. Bob was doing the best he could to provide for his family and protect them from evil. However, there was a clear rift between him and the children, because he was so preoccupied with work and protection that he didn’t relate to them. Helen then was forced to be the administration at home, having her advice and ideas usurped whenever the kids appealed to their dad. From this style of leadership came a great deal of disunity. Later, as Bob began to open up to his family and they see his weaknesses, they are able to work together as a team. On Helen’s side, she was a very capable heroine in her own right, before she married Bob. She’s strong, resilient, and flexible (I confess, that’s a stretch…okay, okay, enough of the puns). Seriously though, switching roles from being super hero to full-time mom was a challenge she willingly accepted. As a wife, she wanted to support and help her husband in any way she could. For all of the heart she had placed in her family, she was often trampled, contradicted, and disregarded by Bob and the children. Yet, her persistence and faithfulness to her family helped keep the family together. This one’s getting a bit long, so I’ll move on.


3. “I never look back, darling. It distracts me from the now.” C. S. Lewis wrote something similar to this in his book, The Screwtape Letters. If our thoughts are constantly stuck in the past, we will never fully appreciate the present. Since we only live in the present, the past is part of the Enemy’s arsenal of weapons to keep us from “making the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5). For more reading, see Isaiah 43:18 and Philippians 3.


4. “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders…” (Colossians 4:5). Mr. Incredible wouldn’t have had to deal with Syndrome if he had treated Syndrome’s younger self with greater respect and grace. Sure, Syndrome was a bit annoying, and got in the way of what needed to be done, but Mr. Incredible could have also seen the incredible influence he had on this kid (pun intended). Since it’s only a movie, I won’t analyze this one more, but it does make me wonder, are there younger people who consider me their role model? How do I treat them? How can I challenge them to “follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1)?


5. Idol worship is bad. Hero worship is the same thing. We see this all the time in society – kids are enamored of celebrities and the “heroes” in their lives. Somewhere along the line, they become disillusioned because like every other person, these heroes and celebrities fall and show their human side. Honestly, I’m not sure how I’d explain this to my kids (assuming I have some when I grow up). I do know one thing: Jesus Christ should be center of all of our worship and affection. Only our perfect and righteous God will never disappoint us.