A cut above....way above

Rating: 10/10 (1 August 2005)

I saw Monsters, Inc. and thought it was a good film, but the animation and plot were a predictable technological evolution to the old Saturday morning cartoons. I couldn't bear Toy Story or A Bug's Life, so I'm definitely not a fan of the Pixar style, but this film transcends its genre and is one of the all-time classics, animated or not. All that is required for an incredible viewing experience is the suspension of a few minor disbeliefs: fish can't talk, and their eyes are on the sides of their heads (not their foreheads). That said, we have a nearly perfect film in that it couldn't have easily been improved upon.
Before I continue, let me give credit to what makes this film perfect rather than merely great: ELLEN DEGENERIS. She should have gotten the Oscar for Best Actress with her portrayal of Dory, a character that could easily have been butchered by a weaker talent. Without her performance, this film is just Monsters, Inc. with better animation and a slightly better plot. Of the other actors, Albert Brooks is predictably competent as Marlin, while Willem DaFoe's jaded Gill is a treat for all ages. The remaining cast was decent, but interchangeable.
As for the plot, it's simple: Marlin and Coral are proud parents of 400 eggs, all but one of whom (along with Coral) are killed in the opening sequence by a shark, which sets the tone of the movie in that we are repeatedly reminded that the Ocean is an underwater jungle. This is also a main strength of the movie in that the other fish in the ocean are portrayed as more than plot devices, and have lives (and goals) of their own, many of which involve putting Marlin (and Dory) in harm's way.
The surviving egg, Nemo, is captured by a scuba diver and winds up in a fishtank in a dentist's office with a group of "POW" fish who are always trying (and failing) to escape. The "secret world of fish" angle does seem appropriated from Dr. Doolittle 2, but this can be forgiven as necessary for the plot. The story is a coming-of-age one not for Nemo, but for Marlin, whose quest for his lost son distracts him from his normal phobia of the ocean, sending him on an adventure which is inspirational as well as educational. I learned more about the ocean from watching this film than in all of my school years put together! Children under 12 should not watch this movie without an adult, as some of the scenes are downright scary, but this only adds to the realism of the film.