Just when you thought computer-animated extravaganzas had devolved into little more than a litany of played-out pop culture references and some swaths of bright colour comes ?The Incredibles,? a smart, sophisticated, much-needed reminder ? after ?Shark Tale? ? of the best the genre can be.

The story of a family of superheroes trying to live a normal, suburban life undoubtedly will call to mind the ?Spy Kids? trilogy, and the film?s futuristic, mid-century design aesthetic is an homage to James Bond.

But the latest release from Pixar Animation (?Finding Nemo,? the ?Toy Story? movies) has a brain, a heart, and ? best of all ? a strong script beneath the striking visuals.

Writer-director Brad Bird boldly follows up 1999?s ?The Iron Giant? with a film that?s equal parts charm and innovation. And delving into a superhero?s inner life is all the rage these days.

(Bird also proves to be a vocal talent in a scene-stealing supporting role as superhero wardrobe designer Edna Mode, a loving takeoff on legendary costumer Edith Head.)

The crime fighter formerly known as Mr. Incredible (richly voiced by Craig T. Nelson) misses saving the day after 15 years away.

He and wife Elastigirl (Holly Hunter, with a sweetness in her gravelly drawl) were placed in a relocation programme after litigious citizens resented being rescued against their will.

So now they?re just Bob and Helen Parr, living in a Frank Lloyd Wright-style house with their three kids: Violet (Sarah Vowell), who can turn invisible and create force fields; Dash (Spencer Fox), whose name reflects his superhuman speed; and baby Jack-Jack. (Jack-Jack Parr ? I kid you not.)

Bob spends his days cramming his giant frame into a tiny insurance office cubicle, so he?s only happy to get sucked back into the life when the mysterious Mirage (Elizabeth Pena) comes to him with a top-secret assignment. He thinks he?s travelling to a remote island to take down a monstrous, multi-tentacled, metallic orb (reminiscent of Doc Ock from ?Spider-Man 2?) but he?s actually helping a self-styled superhero named Syndrome (voiced by Jason Lee) perfect his plot for global domination.

Syndrome used to be just a kid named Buddy who looked up to Mr. Incredible; now, with wild hair and a pronounced chin that make him look like an evil version of Philip Seymour Hoffman, he?s out for revenge against his former idol ? and the rest of the world.

(His plan for flying an aircraft into a major metropolis, though, is a little unnerving, even three years after September 11.)

Helen, Violet and Dash get dragged into the action when they try to save the family patriarch, and in the process they all learn ? without the slightest bit of heavy-handedness ? to have faith in their own abilities.

?You have more power than you realise,? Helen tells Violet during a high-pressure moment ? a fabulous message for any young person to hear, but especially when it comes from a mother to her daughter.

The film?s characters are hyper-stylised, but the backgrounds are often startlingly realistic.

The subtle lighting and shadows, the tangible contours on every strand of hair and every leaf in every tree have gotten even better. And Michael Giacchino?s jazzy score is a perfect fit for the film?s ?60s-swank visual scheme.

But at two hours, the movie could be tough for youngsters to sit through, and there are no cute, cuddly creatures for them to glom onto.

Older kids and adults, though, will be thrilled that Bird is challenging them with a film that makes them think and feel and, frequently, laugh out loud.

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