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 (060903) The more things change, the more
they stay the same. As we enter the summer of 2003, Walt Disney
Pictures reigns supreme as the distributor of the best animated
fare. Yet, less than a dozen years after Beauty and the Beast
became the first (and thus far only) animated film nominated for
a Best Picture Oscar, Disney's in-house animated division has
degraded to the point where it's a pale shadow of its former
self. However, by acquiring the exclusive North American
distribution rights for the films of Japanese master Hayao
Miyazaki and by entering into a partnership with Pixar Films,
Disney has managed to maintain its position atop the mountain,
despite furious challenges from Dreamworks and Fox. Without
either of those deals - especially the Pixar one - Disney's once
unassailable position might have been lost.
The movies of the Pixar canon - Toy Story and its sequel, A
Bug's Life, Monsters Inc. - have all been critical and box
office successes. There is no reason to believe things will
change with Finding Nemo. Visually, the film is just as
jaw-dropping as its predecessors (if not more so). From a
narrative standpoint, as ambitious as some of the earlier
movies, and it has enough juice to keep things moving for 100
minutes. And, as always, the voice casting is perfect. Throw in
a moral, and some nice touches of technical accuracy (that fish
keepers will appreciate), and the movie represents one of the
best films to-date of 2003.
Finding Nemo takes viewers on an offbeat road trip, as an
overprotective clownfish father, Marlin (Albert Brooks), teams
up with a forgetful hippo tang, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), to find
Marlin's lost son, Nemo (Alexander Gould). While testing his
boundaries and defying his father, Nemo wanders too close to a
human scuba diving expedition and becomes an aquarium specimen.
Now, he spends his days as a captive in a salt water tank with
several other inhabitants, including a royal gramma, a starfish,
a puffer, and a butterfly fish, Gill (Willem Dafoe), whose lone
goal is escape. Meanwhile, Marlin and Dory brave the dangers of
the open seas - including a trio of would-be vegetarian sharks,
a forest of jellyfish, and the belly of a whale - on their way
to Australia, where Nemo is being held captive.
Pixar films always contain thematic content, and this one is no
different. It touches on the issues of how a parent's natural
protective instincts can drive away a child, and how children,
no matter how desperately they crave independence, still need
their families. None of this is presented in a heavy-handed
manner. Instead, it's offered in such a way that even the
younger members of the audience will understand what the film is
saying without feeling like they're being subjected to a sermon.
There's also a message about the importance of diversity and
harmony, as a wide variety of animal species band together to
help Marlin as he searches for his lost son.
Finding Nemo is every bit as humorous as Monsters Inc., although
some of the comedy is more low-key. Having experienced comedians
like Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres as the lead voices helps
immeasurably. Brooks, as is his forte, makes Marlin sound
constantly beleaguered. DeGeneres is a hoot as the tang with no
short term memory. Willem Defoe brings an initial whiff of the
sinister to his part as Nemo's older, larger tank mate. Other
voices include Alison Janney, Austin Pendleton, and Geoffrey
Rush as a helpful pelican.
Director Andrew Stanton has opted to animate some of the fish
realistically, while using artistic license with others. The
clownfish and hippo tang, for example, look almost identical to
their real-life counterparts. The sea horses and turtles,
however, have some of their rough edges smoothed out, making
them cuter and more child-friendly. Overall, Finding Nemo is a
treasure trove of visual splendor. From the opening scenes on
the coral reef with Marlin taking up residence in his new
anemone to the cheesy insides of Nemo's aquarium cage, the film
is colorful and amazingly detailed. Every time I view a Pixar
film, I am stunned at how much there is to see. Finding Nemo
proves that the computer animators can do as much under water as
above it.
For longtime fans of Disney animated movies, there are a few
nods to past efforts. The death of Nemo's mother, which occurs
early in the film (and is off screen - no blood or overt violence
to speak of) recalls a similar event from the classic Bambi.
Likewise, a scene in which Marlin and Dory spend some time in
the stomach of a whale will remind viewers of Pinocchio. And
there's a throw in reference to Toy Story - in this case, a
quick shot of a Buzz Lightyear doll.
I wonder if Finding Nemo will fuel an upsurge in interest in
salt water aquariums. To be sure, clowns are interesting fish to
keep, but only for those with a little patience. Children
expecting their pets to exhibit the characteristics of Marlin
and Nemo will likely be disappointed. Nevertheless, ecological
considerations aside, there's nothing to gripe about where
Finding Nemo is concerned. Pixar has done it again, and, in the
process, managed to salvage Disney's reputation - at least for a
little longer.
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