Originally released in 2003, “Finding Nemo” is an excellent example of a Pixar film that works for all audiences, parents, and children alike: The former could appreciate the discussions of life and fate and sympathize with the protagonist’s anxious parenting, and for the latter, there were numerous amusing characters to observe, like Dory the Regal tang (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) and Bruce the great white shark (voiced by Barry Humphries). Of course, since you’re viewing the same story, that engaging plot and those wonderfully developed characters haven’t changed. Marlin the clownfish (voiced by Albert Brooks, of “Drive”) is still as overprotective and determined as ever; his son, Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould), as curious and excitable; and Crush the sea turtle (voiced by Andrew Stanton, the film’s director who also did this year’s “John Carter” and will be involved in the planned “Finding Nemo” sequel) as relaxed and insightful.
Think of the movie as a loving hug from an old friend; it’s a joy to see these characters on the big screen, and for young children seeing the film for the first time, the 3D creates an increasingly enveloping world. Much like in “Titanic 3D,” the underwater scenes rush toward you, but more is done here with schools of fish and clusters of plant life. The flora especially seems to wave at the audience, inviting you to dance with them in this gloriously realized world. It’s an agreeable feeling, and yes, it’s definitely worth paying the extra few dollars for the 3-D effects.
“Finding Nemo” centers on Marlin, a somewhat anxious fish who becomes increasingly more so after his wife and many of their unhatched children are consumed by a barracuda. Left with only one son, Marlin names him Nemo (a nod to Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo) and raises him in the Great Barrier Reef, overprotecting Nemo from what Marlin perceives as any and all danger. That kind of relationship can only lead to resentment and frustration, though, so when Nemo attends the first day of school and brushes off his father during a field trip, you can sense trouble coming.
And it does in the form of scuba divers who snatch up Nemo and then speed off in their boat, leaving Marlin in a frantic tizzy. Fueled by the kind of obsessive love only a parent can have, Marlin must temper his fears as he goes to find Nemo, meeting up with a variety of other animals during his quest. First he befriends Dory, an enthusiastic fish who doesn’t let her short-term memory loss keep her from dispensing advice like, “Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.” Next is Bruce, a gigantic shark with humongous teeth who is trying to abandon his bloodthirsty ways, wanting to switch to a lifestyle where “Fish are friends, not food.” Then there’s the helpful turtle Crush, who aids Marlin and Dory in following the scuba divers’ trail. And as Marlin’s tale of parental commitment spreads, more and more animals come out of the corners of the ocean to help him in his journey.
Simultaneously, the audience experiences what’s happening with Nemo, as he gets sold to a dentist, befriends a group of fish called the Tank Gang, and is slapped in the face with the finality of death. As he begins to understand his father’s concerns and regret the choices that got him captured, you watch him abandon some of his immaturity, a nice development for children to see.
So much of “Finding Nemo” works because of Brooks and DeGeneres, who form a great team, trading deadpan barbs and overzealous energy back and forth. DeGeneres has great fun with Dory’s inability to remember much of anything, and Brooks has a kindness in his voice that goes a long way for his character.
And with “Finding Nemo,” kindness is basically the name of the game. It’s primarily a film about our need for togetherness in an increasingly isolated world (as so many Pixar movies, like “Toy Story 3,” are), and it’s a great example of how Pixar effectively fuses cinema’s need to both emotionally satisfy and visually thrill us. At one point, Dory tells Marlin, “This is the Ocean, silly, we’re not the only two in here”—and it’s a comforting, beautiful thought, one that encapsulates all that makes “Finding Nemo 3D” such a triumph. Thanks, Disney. Thanks, Pixar.
(“Finding Nemo 3D” is preceded by the short “Partysaurus Rex,” in which Rex from the “Toy Story” films makes some new friends during his owner’s bath time. Duh, it’s hilarious.)
