Jack-Jack Attack
| Jack-Jack Attack | |
|---|---|
| File:Jack-jack-attack-1.jpg A scene from Jack-Jack Attack, just before Jack-Jack unleashes his latent powers. Notice the "Pixar ball" first seen in Luxo Jr. | |
| Directed by | Brad Bird |
| Written by | Brad Bird Mark Andrews Rob Gibbs Teddy Newton Bosco Ng |
| Produced by | Roger Gould John Lasseter Osnat Shurer |
| Edited by | Stephen Schaffer |
| Music by | Michael Giacchino |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
Release date | 2005 |
Running time | 5 minutes |
| Language | English |
Jack-Jack Attack is a 2005 short produced by Pixar based upon their film The Incredibles. Unlike many of their previous shorts, it was not given a theatrical release, but was included on the DVD release of the film. The idea for this short came from an idea for a scene originally considered for inclusion in The Incredibles film; it was cut from the feature and subsequently expanded into this short.
Synopsis
The short is based on the youngest member of the superhero Parr family: the baby, Jack-Jack. From The Incredibles film, the audience knows that Jack-Jack's babysitter Kari McKean started experiencing difficulty with him shortly after hanging up the phone with his mother, Helen Parr (a.k.a. Elastigirl/Mrs. Incredible). This short film continues from there until the arrival of Syndrome at the Parr household (who later attempts to kidnap Jack-Jack.)
In the beginning, Kari is explaining to Agent Rick Dicker of the Superhero Relocation Agency about her experience with watching Jack-Jack (while the rest of the family is out saving Mr. Incredible). The rest of the movie portrays what Kari tells Agent Dicker.
Throughout most of The Incredibles, everyone presumes that Jack-Jack is powerless; that is, not a "super". His mother and father are the inhumanly flexible Elastigirl and the amazingly strong Mr. Incredible, respectively. His sister, Violet, can generate force fields and become invisible. His brother, Dash, can run at incredible speeds. However, Jack-Jack seems like a normal non-super baby. This all changes when Kari watches after Jack-Jack.
Shortly after Kari finishes her phone conversation with Helen, she asks Jack-Jack, "Who's ready for some neurological stimulation?" She plays a Mozart CD, because "leading experts say, Mozart makes babies smarter". As Dies Irae from Mozart's Requiem plays, Jack-Jack begins exhibiting his super abilities -- presumably, triggered by Kari's "neurological stimulation". In the credits at the end of the movie, the first to receive "special thanks" is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
As Jack-Jack exercises his new-found talents, he runs Kari ragged. He appears to be not so much malicious as he is playful, as he explores his myriad abilities: teleporting, shooting laser beams from his eyes, and setting himself on fire at will. He quickly becomes too much for Kari to manage.
Kari's trial ends when Syndrome shows up at the Parr's house, claiming to be a "sitter" (evidenced by the big "S" on his uniform, he explains) and replacement for Kari. She gratefully hands over Jack-Jack to him and leaves.
The short ends with Agent Dicker erasing Kari's memory of the incident.
The viewers are never directly informed how many varieties of powers Jack-Jack possesses, but it is evident that he is more gifted than any of the other Parrs. Jack-Jack's name and multitude of powers suggest he is a "Jack-of-all-trades".
Powers
Jack-Jack's powers displayed in this short (as well as in The Incredibles feature film) resemble many comic book characters' powers potentially as follows:
- Levitation/Flying: Superman (DC Comics); Jean Grey: (Marvel Comics: X-Men); plus many other comic book characters.
- Teleportation: Nightcrawler (Marvel Comics: X-Men)
- Intangibility: Kitty Pryde (Marvel Comics: X-Men); Martian Manhunter (DC Comics)
- Inflammability: Human Torch (Marvel Comics: Fantastic Four)
- Optical laser discharge: Superman (DC Comics); Cyclops (Marvel Comics: X-Men).
- Metallic transformation: Colossus (Marvel Comics: X-Men), Steel (DC Comics)
- Monster transformation: Various superheroes, most notably the Incredible Hulk. This is also most likely a nod to Monsters, Inc.
- Super strength: Superman (DC Comics); Juggernaut (Marvel Comics: X-Men); plus many other comic book characters.
- Telekinesis: Jean Grey (Marvel Comics: X-Men)
- Surface adhesion: Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)Nightcrawler (Marvel Comics: X-Men)
- Multitude of powers: Superman (DC Comics); Franklin Richards (Marvel Comics: Fantastic Four)
As well as referring to many comic heros, the short was referenced on The Colbert Report during Stephen Colbert's interview with Tony Hawk.
Jack-Jack's powers appear to be on a "need-to-use" basis and also mimic (albeit in an exaggerated form) the abilities of babies: disappearing, traveling quickly, hard to catch, differing levels of heaviness, destruction of the household, and turning into a monster (a.k.a. temper tantrum.) The plot may have been more than a little inspired by the comic book story Letitia Lerner, Superman's Babysitter.
Awards
- 2006-Hugo Awards-Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form-Nominated (Post-production)
