Volume 3, No. 27 June 13, 2003
‘Finding Nemo’ see-worthy A Review By Kim Herrington Walt Disney /Pixar Animation Studios — creators of “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life” and “Monsters, Inc.” — has offered up another winner in “Finding Nemo,” directed and written by Andrew Stanton. This film captures the essence of family entertainment and pushes computer animation one step further. In addition, its story line is a delightful one that both children and adults can enjoy. Two clownfish are first-time parents and are excited about their first batch of eggs. They do what most new parents do. They think of names to call their children, reflect on how they met and stare at their creation in awe. As they anticipate the birth of their children, their joy is cut short when the couple is attacked. The mother, Coral (voiced by Elizabeth Perkins), and nearly the entire batch of eggs are eaten. The father, Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) escapes and one egg is left behind. That egg hatches and grows up to become Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould). Nemo is slightly handicapped as one fin is smaller than the other. Because of this, Marlin is somewhat protective of him. Reluctantly, he lets Nemo go to school. On his first day, Marlin squeezes his son and drills him with safety reminders such as, “Don’t swim in open areas.” Despite his father’s warnings, and to spite his father, Nemo swims far into the open ocean beyond the Great Barrier Reef and a diver scoops him up to be a part of a collection of tropical fish in a dentist’s office in Sydney, Australia. Thus, Marlin begins a great underwater adventure to find Nemo. During his adventure, Marlin deals with his fear of the unknown and acquires skills to rear Nemo without smothering him. Parents will appreciate the movie’s handling of this topic. While missing, Nemo learns to embrace his disability and to appreciate his dad’s concerns. This combination of moral lessons balances out this film well. Pixar Animation Studios is ahead of the game with its sharp writing. There are quite a few personable characters that that breathe life into this film. Characters such as Marlin, Nemo and Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), the blue tang that accompanies Marlin throughout the adventure, three sharks going through fish withdrawal and a laid-back sea turtle make viewers forget that the images onscreen are animated. Their facial expressions and bodily movements are impressive and document the progression of computer animation. Like the other Pixar creations, “Finding Nemo” is a visual treat. The underwater world featured in the film is captivating and the movie’s message is a good one. Viewers will not be disappointed with this sea treasure.
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