FINDING NEMO

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 5 out of 5

Rated:

Pixar really knows how to reel audiences in. Their first two huge successes -- Toy Story and it sequel -- brought us to a world of fantastic computer animation. A Bug's Life encouraged us to be nicer to the ants on the hill. Finding Nemo is an intriguing, touching, fun story about a little clown fish's search for his son... and learning to face his fears.

Life in the coral reef is a dream come true for Marlin and his brand-new bride Coral. They're expecting a school of young ones, and the neighborhood is sunlit, peaceful, and safe. Or is it? One dark day a barracuda invades their peaceful repose. Marlin is knocked unconscious by its massive tail... and wakes up to find his family gone. His beloved wife and all but one of his children have been murdered. He decides to name the last egg, in honor of his wife's wishes, "Nemo," and vows always to keep his son safe and protected. Several tides later, little Nemo is ready to tackle the world. It's the first day of school and his father is doubly nervous. Make sure you check both ways before crossing traffic. Stay away from strange fish. Listen to your teacher! Maybe we should put this off another year...? The anxious parent leaves Nemo with the class (an enormous sting ray is their science teacher)... until he learns their trip is to "The Drop," where the reef ends and deep water begins. 

Nemo and his friends are playing around near the murky water, and one of them challenges him to swim out to the boat moored off shore. In defiance to his father's warning, Nemo swims out and is captured in a scuba diver's net. Marlin is horrified. He follows the boat as far as he can before loosing sight of it among the waves. His son has been kidnapped! For help he turns to Dory, a sanguine personality who can't remember her own name half the time. Together they vow to rescue Nemo, who's wound up in a dentist office fish tank with a worse fate in store for him. It's a huge job for two very little fish, to search the seven seas and find one missing baby fish. But where there's a will there's a way, and they're bound to have a lot of fantastic adventures in the meantime.

Granted, this film is catered toward children, but adults will appreciate more the subtle jokes threaded throughout. A mock Alcoholics Anonymous meeting among sharks ("fish are our friends, not food!" they quote dutifully as vegetarian wannabes), various therapist references ("really? it looks half full to me!"), a few jokes ("WHY is it men never ask for directions?" Dory yells at one point) and even the main core -- learning when to let your children go out on their own. Marlin is an over-protective parent who doesn't allow Nemo to grow to his full potential because he's so frightened something bad might happen to him. "You can't prevent ANYTHING from happening to him," says Dory; "if you do, then NOTHING will ever happen to him!" Eventually not only does Marlin find his courage, but he finds a friend in his courageous son.

Pixar has outdone themselves this time. The computer generated waves are realistic. The coral reefs are more stunning than even real underwater photography. It's a virtual piece of eye candy with a great cast of voices. I wouldn't encourage taking very young children, as many scenes turn dark and/or frightening. (A shark goes berserk after smelling blood; Marlin and Dory are swallowed by a whale, chased by a dark-bottom dweller, and even almost wind up pelican bait.) But it's a movie that older children -- along with teens and adults -- will highly enjoy.