I don't think Brad Bird, the writers, or any of the producers realised what movie they were making. Certainly, they were forced to atone for making an implicitly conservative film when they made the horrible sequel. Even in 2004, like LOTR just before it, The Incredibles was met with some clucking and handwringing from the progressive media (but I repeat myself) for its representation of a traditional, homogeneous family. And it's great. Herein, we see a nuclear European family, clearly led by the masculine father, save the world from a dysgenic freak ("spiteful mutant" as Mr. Dutton would say). Around the periphery, there's a suspiciously fruity woman and the trope-y black best friend, but they consume so little screentime that they may as well not be there. Naturally, not even the fashionista is out and proud in 2004. The story is somewhat rote but the CGI was typically fantastic for its time and it contains all you really need from a superhero movie. Basic ideas are exceptionally well executed. The superhero genre has a deeply subversive history and deconstructionist premises built in, much like Hollywood itself, making it a minefield. But that only means there's more space for a film that does a superhero story well, for those who are into such things. It's a very fun, feel-good film that can safely be watched with family of almost any age. (Though parents should exercise caution that this doesn't lead to an obsession with capeshit in their children. X-Men and many others have always been allegories for both - in a weird dialectic - tabula rasa egalitarianism and Jewish exceptionalism.) The Incredibles' enduring impression today is, "Wow, we still had family entertainment like this in 2004? How have we fallen so far?" Sadly, the sequel(s) (a third is in the works) partly answer the question, coming far too late to be any good. Daughter Violet has become a raging feminist between the first and second instalments. Skip them. (Note: I'll never select "Pay to Watch" as an option unless it's an indie production that you can buy DRM-free directly from the creator. With good stuff, buy secondhand hard copies or forge your own path. Remember that buying The Incredibles is handing money to people who hate you in order for them to make the next Turning Red.)