The exam is over, the streets beckon, and The Masked Medic is ready to serve just— a few reviews here and there. In my attempt to get back into films, I thought it was best to start safe. And there’s nothing safer than nostalgia, so join me as we dive into the big blue ocean!
‘Finding Nemo’ starts with a clownfish couple named Marlin and Coral who have recently moved into a new anemone off the Great Barrier Reef. The two are excitedly waiting for the birth of their many children when tragedy strikes, and both Coral and all but one of the eggs are attacked by a barracuda. We cut forward a few years, and Marlin has raised that one sole child, who is named Nemo. Nemo is excited to start school, and despite Marlin’s reluctance, he drops Nemo off at school. However, when the school trip to the edge of the reef, aka ‘The Drop-off’, goes wrong, Nemo is captured by divers, and Marlin sets off to find him. On the way, he meets a forgetful blue tang named Dory. She means well, but her memory issues very quickly get in the way of Marlin’s mission. As the pair traverse across waters that present challenge after challenge, they learn a lot about each other whilst trying to complete their mission. Meanwhile, Nemo finds himself in a new environment, with a group of fish that have learnt to survive their own little ecosystem. They are adamant that they will get him out before he meets a certain doom at the hands of a maniacal child. Can the ‘Tank Gang’ follow through on their promise? And will Marlin’s willpower be enough to reunite him with his only child?
Okay, voice acting is a tough gig, but if you do it right, it can be iconic. Let’s start with overprotective Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks. I’ve not seen or heard Brooks in anything else, but his exasperation really comes through. Technically our titular character, Nemo, is voiced by Alexander Gould, who at the time was 9 years old. Not sure how his career panned out after that, but it must have been pretty awesome to be cast in a Pixar film. The film is filled with some very interesting casting. If we look at the ‘Tank Gang’, some familiar names pop up. The leader of the gang, the mysterious Gill, is voiced by none other than Willem Dafoe, and the gravitas of his voice shines in the role. Brad Garrett and Alison Janney play Bloat and Peach, respectively. Both actors that I’ve seen before, but I haven’t put two and two together. The most surprising casting was Geoffrey Rush as Nigel the Pelican. Rush played Captain Barbossa in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films, and I’ve never ever realised that he was Australian or that his voice wasn’t all deep and villainous, aha. A quick shoutout to director Andrew Stanton, who voices Crush, who, for many, many years, was my favourite ‘Finding Nemo’ character. Finally, let’s talk about the standout role. Ellen DeGeneres plays Dory, and she is fantastic in the role. I know that there was that whole thing about the workplace she maintained for her show, but I think sometimes it’s okay to appreciate the things that people do well, and she absolutely killed it as Dory!
I realise that the majority of old nostalgic films that I’ve been watching have been Pixar films. You guys have got reviews from me on ‘A Bug’s Life’ and ‘Cars’, and I think on the whole there’s a reason these films make people feel good. ‘Finding Nemo’ is no exception to this, and I think it really does lend itself to all age groups. You have kids watching this who want to rebel and may see their parents as holding them back. There will be parents watching this who know the feeling of letting kids go, and not knowing what the world has in store for them. But on the whole, it’s the story of what it means to be family and that no matter where life takes you, you’ll always have someone looking to protect you. The older I get, the more I appreciate the jokes and the message that this film renders. If I had to criticise, all I can say is that the ending feels slightly off. I don’t know how to explain it, but I think there are a few unnecessary scenes, but a great film all round!
Pixar, we can all agree, is one of the best in the business when it comes to animation. Certain scenes in this film really stood out to me, including the whole Shark meeting scene and even the beginning, with Marlin dropping Nemo off at school. I also liked the dichotomy of the tank scenes with Marlin’s journey. The script is extremely funny in parts, and I still find myself doing impressions from this film. The soundtrack was good, and it provides a good background ambience. Overall, a good film which leaves you feeling happy!
Rating:
Story: ★★★★
Voice Acting: ★★★½
Cinematography: ★★★½
Music: ★★★
Enjoyability: ★★★★