Outstanding Family Film

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2003)

Finding Nemo will find its way to the top of the Pixar hierarchy. Funny, visually enthralling, original and scary, it is true Disney formula and completely unique all at once.
Using the ocean around Australia gives the film limitless possibility for colours, creatures and adventures, as well as whacky accents. Our heros fight sharks in a twelve step program, pelicans, a flat out hysterical flock of seagulls, an old submarine, a vicious four-year-old with braces, fish obsessed with dental procedures and a hazardous group of jellyfish. Even though the plot is formula, the film is not.
The film involves Marlin and his son Nemo. Early on, Nemo is abducted by a diver and locked in a fish tank in a dentists office. His cowardly father embarks to find him with the help of Dory, a fish with "short term memory loss". In the tank, Nemo encounters a small band of captives who all dream of freedom.
I saw finding Nemo with five children aged 3 to 10, and they all were delighted, scared and thrilled. At the same time, my wife and I had belly laughs at the humour which was sufficiently adult without being inappropriate for the kids.
The true delight of Finding Nemo is in the animation. With every feature, Pixar refines its art and is able to add more to it's films. The colours and visuals are rich and delightful. Note the way the reds, pinks and purples give way to dark blue and grey when the characters are in peril. The small role characters, like the seagulls, crabs, turtles are created with care and depth.
I cannot recommend this movie enough. Like the Little Mermaid, having kids will give you an excuse to see this movie, but you won't need one. **** out of ****.