Today’s quick review: Finding Nemo. When Nemo (Alexander Gould), a young clownfish, is captured by a human, his overprotective father Marlin (Albert Brooks) must leave the shelter of his home to rescue his son. His journey takes him into deep waters, past sharks and sea turtles, and far from his home. Along the way he befriends Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a forgetful fish with an optimistic outlook on life. Together they set about the difficult task of finding one fish in an ocean.
Finding Nemo is an animated family film from Disney and Pixar. Colorful CGI coupled with lively characters, light humor, and a sweet story make it a modern classic. Finding Nemo is a road movie of sorts. Marlin and Dory embark on an underwater journey to reach where they believe Nemo was taken. The two personalities play well off each other, with Marlin as the overly cautious straight man and Dory as the airheaded optimist. Nemo’s plight, the dangers that Marlin and Dory face, and the vastness of the ocean lend a bit of gravity to the film. For all that Marlin worries too much, his fears are at least partially justified: the ocean is a dangerous place for a small fish. These heavier themes are deployed well, never dragging the movie too far down while still conveying a sense of drama.
Finding Nemo takes a cute premise and delivers on it with rock-solid execution. The animation is gorgeous, the world rich, the story well-paced, and the quotes memorable. Watch it if you enjoy Disney films or are in the mood for something light or well-crafted. Skip it if you dislike the genre.
8.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for solid execution.