Finding Nemo review

Rating: 10/10 (1 May 2006)

Three years ago, Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar teamed up to release Finding Nemo to the masses. The hit children's underwater adventure video is an animated story based on a rebelliously independent young clownfish and his overprotective father's inability to let go. Enticed by a witty trailer and a captivating graphical design, Finding Nemo attracted a wide audience to the theatres. Digitally mastered and exquisitely written, Finding Nemo premiered May 3rd, 2003, as a G rated, light hearted, animated production geared towards children. The familiar voices of main characters, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) and Marlin (Albert Brooks) teamed up in an encore partnership, returning from 1998's Dr. Dolittle. The hour and 44 minute presentation that brought over $300 million to the box office in its first week in the theatres. The script is a roller-coaster of friendly humor, written by Andrew Stanton and is sincerely thought provoking for Disney's adult viewers. Finding Nemo is sure to become a childhood classic. The opening scene is at Nemo's elementary school. Marlin, the widowed single parent, introduces Nemo to his teacher as a timid student, who requires extra attention for his special needs. Crowds will chuckle at the cynical humor, merciless mimicking students in the background and defining sarcastic gestures in this scene. Taunted by his peers, Nemo challenges his father, swimming farther and farther out into the abyss, towards a row boat at the surface. By the time Marlin catches his curiously disobedient son in the act, he swam far away from the group and was at the surface. The authors' creative expressiveness and ingenuity with the line "he touched the butt!" is innocent enough for six year olds to repeat, and at the same time harmlessly pokes fun at the daily trials parents face with young children. With the conscious lesson that every ill minded action has consequences, the row boat unexpectedly carries Nemo away from his home. Marlin enlists into a desperate rescue attempt for his beloved son and soon encounters Dory, the annoying travel companion with the funky problem of poor short term memory. In their travels, Marlin and Dory accidentally stumble upon two great white sharks. Instantly intrigued, Dory tries to make new friends, while Marlin backs off because of preconceived stereotypes about vicious great white sharks. As it turns out the two have joined to form an anti fish eating support group. With a membership pledge of "fish are friends, not food", Marlin and Dory escape a near death experience. In this fast paced scene that speaks to breaking stereotypes, adults will pick up on the parody on the politics of vegetarianism and a poke at "meaningless" support groups. Some of the content in this two minute scene may frighten younger viewers, as the loud noises, exploding mines and sharks with big scary teeth dominate the screen. Pressing on with the goal of finding his son in Sydney, Marlin and Dory ride the East Australian Current with a huge pack of sea turtles, and Marlin has a chance to tell his epic story. One of the elder turtles and an experienced parent, Crush (voice of Andrew Stanton) listens in, imparts some wisdom, and helps Marlin regain a firm a grasp on life. His advice, and the movie's main message, is that children are going to grow up and that part of successful parenting is letting them go and watching them. You have to know that you have done all you can for your children and that they have learned well. The climax of the movie is this scene, where Marlin realizes his error and finally begins to believe in his son. As the music tempo accelerates, the current quickens and the scene makes a dramatic switch back to a comedic tone, keeping children on the edge of their toes and leaving adults satisfied with the depth of content matter. Having arrived in Sydney, Marlin immediately jumps back into the search for his son. While the graphics change with the new on-land scenery, their impressive Pixar quality remains. New sounds from the city and music perfectly accompany every plot curve as the two fish face new challenges of human and bird interaction. A pelican named Nigel flies in to save the two fish from a particularly hungry flock of seagulls placing bids on their next meal, saying "Mine! Mine! Mine!" in their thick Australian brogue. The creative scripting is again paired with a hidden message of parenting that sometimes you need to take a risk and trust other people. Finding Nemo is a fantastic film, with much thought, enthusiasm and heart behind the plot, animation and message. Finding Nemo leaves Mom and Dad with a feeling of parental community in that they are not alone in their struggles with parenting. The innocent humor and narrative plot leaves children wanting to watch the movie several times over and quote their favorite lines with friends. The movie is appropriate for all children ages six and older and all adults who are young at heart. The underlying comedy and animation in this film hides a message that speaks of social issues, politics and parenting, which makes Finding Nemo a great movie for children and adults alike. Disney's Finding Nemo jumps a full step above Toy Story and does not even compare to the original classics like Cinderella, winning an Oscar Award and Best Animated Children's movie in the 2004 Academy Awards.