Finding Nemo (2003)

FINDING NEMO (2003) / ***

Directed by Andrew Stanton, from his screenplay. Starring Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould. Running time: 101 minutes. Rated G by the MFCB. Reviewed on June 5th, 2003.

By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN

Synopsis: After a tragedy which claimed his wife, clownfish Marlin (Brooks) is an overprotective dad to young Nemo (Gould). Marlin's fears seem to be realised when Nemo unwisely swims into deep water and is captured by a human diver. Marlin sets off into the sea with a dotty friend named Dory (DeGeneres) while Nemo finds himself trapped in a fish tank. Marlin must confront many terrors of the sea, from a strange trio of sharks to a malevolent terror of the trenches, if he is to save his son.

Review: Pixar -- indeed, virtually the entire animated film industry -- has basically settled back on a tried-and-true formula these days, relying not on narrative masterpieces but rather simple, archetypal stories. Their real attraction is the potent combination of eye-catching imagery and multifaceted humour which variously aims at both parents and kids; "Finding Nemo" is no different. Plotwise, it's not much to write home about -- it's a standard quest story, told competently but without particular deviation from the norm, culminating in a straightforward (but worthy) moral at the end. Sure it's about fish instead of people, but animation has long since delighted in such anthropomorphisation. Where the undersea conceit pays off is in the breadth it allows the animators: this may well be the most visually entrancing computer-animated narrative ever (making allowances for non-plot-driven masterpieces like segments of "Fantasia 2000"). And of course the icing on the cake are the jokes which, unsurprisingly, manage to hit both of the movie's targets running: while the kids guffaw over the turtle who talks like a California surfer dude, the adults get to wink knowingly at the "Shining" pastiche. "Finding Nemo" may not surpass "Toy Story" for sheer invention and emotional power, but it's another winner from a studio that's yet to drop the ball.

Copyright © 2003 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html

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