Finding Nemo (2003) Review

When young Nemo is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney his father Marlin who is a very timid and unfunny clownfish must swim across the ocean to save him, with the help of a new found friend in Dory who suffers from short term memory loss.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everything about Finding Nemo is just so perfect and that is something I feel true to this day as I did on the first time I ever saw it at the cinema. I have always loved it and I will always love it, experiencing it on Disney+ is just as special as watching it for the first time.

Pixar animation is on another level with how visually stunning it really looks, I always find that a strange thing to say about an animated film but it is very true. The colours are outstanding and create the ocean in the most fantastic manner possible. You believe you are part of the story to find Nemo, even though we know he is safe and making new friends within the tank.

Marlin and Dory become unlikely friends and that is another key part of the story, showing just how at the time you really need someone to show up and help in your life that can happen. They both needed that friend and help each other in ways they probably couldn’t even imagine. Poor Dory suffers from short term memory loss and has no idea where her family went. She loves talking and singing about just keep swimming which is something that you cannot help but smile at. Not forgetting her amazing ability to speak whale! Marlin is not positive at all and pretty much scared of everything. The love for his son would pull him through though and he would travel across the ocean to find him and take him back home.

The story manages to have so many life lessons involved in it and fills you with so much joy at the way everything unfolds. Watching it again really does confirm it as one of my all time favourite animated films. Not forgetting that some sharks don’t really want to eat fish and they are actually friends not food!

Something that Disney and Pixar have developed over the years is the impressive voice casting which gives the films that extra level. Gone are the days where the voices are just sort of spoken with the lines, more acting goes into the vocal performances and that is done in tremendous manner. Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres taking on the leading roles and are both perfect for that. Then when you throw in some real heavyweights Willem Dafoe, Alison Janney, Geoffrey Rush and Eric Bana.

Everything works so perfectly for this film and it really is a big joy to watch from start to finish. I feel it will never lose the magic and always be a great film to watch. It really does have something extra special about it and never fails to make me smile (well expect the brutal opening scene of course).