My favourite Pixar film.

Rating: 9/10 (26 January 2005)

In recent years I've become quite a fan of Pixar, the best distributor of computer animated fare at the moment. And just this Christmas, I've seen three of their films. Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, and Finding Nemo. Finding Nemo is my favourite one, and even though it has the weakest plot, it manages to be wonderfully entertaining.
Pixar have established themselves as quite a force to be reckoned with in this day and age of computer animation. The only one to oppose them is DreamWorks, and they always seem to be one step behind. But despite that, the advent of CG animation will make the time-honoured cartoons of old obsolete when compared to the stunning visuals of Finding Nemo.
Our fishy tale begins along the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Two clownfish, Marlin and Coral (voiced by Al Brooks and Elizabeth Perkins) live on the Drop-Off, which is the last stop before open sea. They're about to become proud parents, which is unfortunately cut short when a passing shark eats Coral and all of their babies. Only one survived, which Marlin names Nemo.
Marlin has become very overprotective of Nemo, and is always stifling him. On Nemo's first day of school, father and son get into an argument over Marlin's overbearing protectiveness. But fate decides to plunge Marlin and Nemo into adventures of their own. Nemo has the bad luck of being captured by a scuba diver, and taken to a dentist's fish tank in Sydney, where he will be a gift to the dentist's niece, the dreadful Darla.
While Nemo plots an escape with the tropical fish he's sharing the tank with, Marlin must now conquer his fears of the ocean, and mount a rescue mission. With the aid of an absent-minded fish called Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), our mismatched travelling companions brave one life threatening situation after another in the great depths of the ocean to find Nemo.
Finding Nemo is admittedly very thin on plot, and I was initially surprised that it got rave reviews. I was expecting it to be terrible, and although a little overrated, it is a great adventure to see. With a colourful range of quirky characters and breathtaking effects the most hardened cynic will be swept along for the ride.
Al Brooks is suitably neurotic as Marlin, who has become so paranoid after the loss of his family. I can't help but wonder that if it were Woody Allen as Marlin, it would have been a more grating performance. Brooks makes for a refreshing alternative.
But the real star of the film is Ellen DeGeneres as Dory. She injects a great deal of pathos into the role, and she is side-splitting with the way she's in two minds about everything because of her terrible memory. That type of routine could have become very tiresome quickly, but she manages to find ways to keep the routine funny. She also makes a very endearing double-act with Brooks.
Willem Dafoe brings a sense of class and dignity to the character of Gill, one of Nemo's tank-mates. He orchestrates escape plans that are quite brilliant, e.g. jamming the filter in the tank, and escaping through the tube, all drains lead to the ocean, etc.
The rest of the Tank Gang are all quirky in their own way, and have gone a bit nutty after being cooped up in a tank. Nigel the pelican is a great character, especially since he's willing to help Nemo find his father, and the Tank Gang to escape. One of Disney's optimistic messages about animals willing to help others, but it works. I'm also very partial to Peach, the star-fish who talks like a brash New Yorker who keeps a lookout for the rest of the Tank Gang.
The different escapades our heroes get into are both funny and exciting. From sharks that are trying to go vegetarian (but not quite succeeding) to a terrifying angler-fish, a school of fish with a talent for impressions, swarms of jellyfish, laid-back turtles, a whale, the ocean never seemed so crowded, and dangerous.
This includes Nemo's adventures in the fish tank too. You might think they would be boring, but they include some of the film's best moments. The scenes with Darla are hysterical as the spoilt brat who's also a borderline psycho (the film makes a pun out of that!). I don't want to reveal too much though because the surprises are one of the film's many pleasures.
As far as computer animation goes, Finding Nemo is a visual treat. The ocean has exotic colours, and is also murky which is more believable. All the fish are dazzling to look at, the fish tank looks great, and even the scenes of Sydney above water have an uncanny realism to them (check out the Sydney Opera House).
This is one film where adults don't have to be ashamed to be seen in a cinema watching Finding Nemo. There are enough sly in-jokes and film references to entertain them, and lively escapism for the kids. Still, some scenes might be frightening for them, and a little intense, so just be warned.
Finding Nemo has great characters, stunning visuals, and great music too that adds up to a film that is colourful, consistently inventive, and an absolute pleasure to sit through.