For this assignment we chose to watch and analyse the movie “The Incredibles”. This movie focuses on a superhero family living in a normal world. Each member of the family has their own superpower and they work together to protect and save the world. This movie shows much more violence than the average family PG rated film. It is a Pixar film and it is one of their most famous movies. The movie shows the family adventure of Mr. Incredible and his wife Elastigirl, and their three kids Violet, Dash and Jack Jack. The movie starts off by showing them as a normal family because all superpowers had been banned from the government, but when things start to go bad and Mr. Incredible get asked to help save the day he goes back to his superhero ways. Then he gets in trouble and his family has to come in and save him by using their superpowers. This movie shows a lot of weapons, destruction, violence and explosions. The Incredibles could be very confusing to children watching because of the limitations that young children have when processing media content. The children in this show go their whole life as they know it as normal kids, they are unaware that they have super powers until they have to save their dad. This could be confusing to kids because, like the characters, the viewers of this movie live normal lives without super powers. It could confuse kids by making them think that they could develop super powers if their family needs them. Children process this so differently when they view it at a young age. They are normalized to the violence they see because it is violence that is being used for good. Since super hero’s are using violence to achieve good and save the world than kids are more accepting of it.
When kids of different ages view this movie they have very different reactions. Younger children have a harder time understanding that you can not develop superpowers. They are more likely to believe that superpowers and superheroes are real and that they are going to come save the day. They normalized violence throughout the film because the characters have superpowers. “Fistfights are also a common means of communication between the good guys and the bad guys. Dash and Violet scuffle with each other during dinner, prompting Mom to forcibly rein them in with her super-long arms” (Isaac, 2004). Younger kids are more likely to develop fear from the violence that is shown in this film. They are likely to fear the “bad guys” that are easily identifiable throughout the movie. Older kids, on the other hand, have a better grip on what is realistic and what is not. The older kids get the more they are able to understand that this is just a movie and it is unrealistic not likely going to happen. This movie is suitable for all ages but the effects it has on fear reactions for different ages is noticeable. Younger kids have a harder time seperating fanatsy and reality, so it is harder for them to understand the idea of superheros and supervillians.
“The Incredibles” has multiple depictions of violence that can have a lasting effect on young viewers. Some of the most prevalent displays of violence in the film were how the villain, “Syndrome” killed many superheroes, and the Incredibles family constantly used violence to attack their opponents. There was also heavy use of weapons, even in the opening scene which included a high speed car chase with a shootout (watch here). The film constantly has scenes of violence, whether it is physical violence like hitting, punching, or throwing things at others, as well as violence in their language use. Dash’s teacher refers to him as a, “guilty little rat”, they refer to a character as, “the fat guy”, and Mr and Mrs. Incredible are displayed fighting and yelling at each other which frightens their children. While the language used in the film is not inherently bad, children can pick up on the habits that are displayed, which include this negative language in not being able to converse without yelling, or referring to someone’s weight. An additional scene that could impact children negatively is when Dash was sent to the principal's office after being accused of putting a thumb tack on the teacher’s chair. However, because he is insanely fast, he was able to get away with it in the video clip the teacher had since you can't see him move to put the tack there. This can be problematic for children, because since Dash is a young child like them, and is displayed as an attractive character to viewers, they will be more likely to model his behaviors. Also, when his mom brings up at the dinner table what Dash had done at school, his father asks, “Wow how fast were you going?”, and his facial expression changed to an excited look. The social cognitive theory says that modeling of behaviors is aided when there is an attractive perpetrator, and whether there is a reward or punishment. While Dash was not necessarily rewarded for the violence, he was not actually punished which can show young viewers that they too can get away with their actions.
Another main component in media violence for children is if they perceive their to be reality in the situation it will affect their behaviors and thoughts. Perceived reality is an intervening variable where viewers are more likely to pay attention to things that they perceive as real, especially for younger audiences. Since the characters in this show are portrayed as normal human beings who go to school and work, and aren’t supposed to use their powers, the perceived reality will be greater for this film. Overall, the film portrays violence in a glorified way as the characters constantly use all types of violence and are not punished for it. Since young viewers are very susceptible to media effects, it can be detrimental for young viewers to view this film without co-viewing that can explain to them that in the real world people would be punished for their action and it is not acceptable behavior.
Although “The Incredibles” is a popular children’s film, due to all the glorified violence, there can be major potential health effects on children’s behaviors and attitudes. Gentile and Bushman (2012) found that the best single predictor of aggression in elementary school kids was past aggression, followed by violent media exposure. After viewing this movie, young children will have more aggressive attitudes and behaviors which is a serious public health issue.
The movie “The Incredible” has a lot of lessons to take away from after viewing. Definitely one of the most important ones is the importance of family that the movie portrays. All throughout the movie, we see instances of the family sticking together and always looking out for one another no matter the circumstances that might be at hand. This is a can be a crucial thing for young kids watching the movie to learn because if they are able to see that message and receive it then their family life will be a lot better. In the scene where the Incredibles land on the island for the first time to save their dad, we see Elastigirl, Dash and Violet in a cave waiting until morning to start searching for Mr. Incredible. Elastigirl decides that she wants to go explore the island before they do anything so she makes Dash and Violet stay put in the cave that they are taking shelter in. Before she goes she stresses the importance of how they need to watch over each other and make sure that each other is safe. This is very important for the little kids watching especially if they have siblings. The lesson in that scene will teach them that they should always keep their siblings safe no matter what, while also teaching them to listen to their parents. Most likely when little kids are watching the movie they will be watching it with their parents which will hopefully make them appreciate the message that is being portrayed. Kids at a young age are like sponges and they take in every bit of information that is given to them. So if this movie can get the importance of family across to their young viewers then that will make them appreciate everyone that is in their lives and make their bonds stronger.
Overall, The Incredibles is a very famous children's movie that has strong effects on its viewers. This movie stresses the importance of family, which can influence developmental perspective of small children. It shows a strong family that is filled with superpowers. Depending on age, children reactions to the violence shown in this movie would be different. Younger kids are more likely to be scared from the violence depicted in this film because they are limited in how they process media and have a hard time deciphering reality from fantasy. This movie is very attractive for kids because it is action packed and filled with attractive models. The Incredibles has proven to be a very influential movie for children.
References:
Bird, B. (Director), & Bird, B. (Writer). (n.d.). The Incredibles [Video file].
Farrar, K. (2017). Media Violence. [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from https://lms.uconn.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_1218841_1&course_id=_27516_1
Gentile, D. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2012). Reassessing Media Violence Effects Using a Risk and Resilience Approach to Understanding Aggression. American Psychological Association . doi:10.1037/a0028481
Isaac, S. (2004, November 29). The Incredibles | Movie Review. Retrieved April 15, 2017, from http://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/incredibles/
Knight, E. (2015, December 13). The incredibles Opening Analysis. Retrieved April 15, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENItuSY3vK8
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