3D Version Worth Catching

Rating: 7/10 (21 September 2012)

This review is specifically for the 3D re-release. There are two things that I observed, one was that the strength of story and surprise is about double the effort compared to recent Pixar releases. "Brave's" story felt relatively simplistic, "Cars 2" offered no depth. "Toy Story 3", while having depth, was still basically a rehash of TS2. "Finding Nemo" exceeds expectations every few minutes. Once the story seems set, a new wrinkle is thrown in. I had not watched the movie in a while, and I forgot how fast-paced and action-packed the story is. There are many more moments of genuine humour compared to recent Pixar releases.
Second was the quality of the 3D. Most reviews I heard was that the 3D wasn't all that special. I disagree. There are many moments, albeit brief, where you are tracking along with the fish through an underwaterfall, or animals flying toward the camera, or settings that surround you with 3D depth. The animation is still probably Pixar's best. The vivid recreation of a coral reef is vibrant with colour. The swilling motion of everything from the current, the refraction of the sun through the water, even the aquarium is lovingly depicting with exotic objects. Seeing the film on the big screen also gives you the benefit of feeling the sense of size when a large shark or whale dominates the screen.
Now, not surprisingly, Pixar is making "Finding Nemo 2". As much as I applaud this film, Pixar has a better chance to impress with something original instead of churning out sequels. Hopefully they will stuff it full of good story and surprise elements for a change.