Marlin, the fish voiced by Albert Brooks in the BRIGHT Finding Nemo, does not find Nemo. This is pretty much all you need to know about the film. Yeah it is exciting, fun, animated and did I mention BRIGHT. But Nemo is not so much found as located, and then has to do the hard work itself.
Slowly but surely it looks like we can identify a Pixar formula. Huge ensemble casts, a buddy relationship at the heart of the film, pretty simple plot and rather liberal moral. This is far preferable to the Disney formula and generally does not spoil a book for a generation too – eh Hunchy. Nevertheless it is still a formula, and one where the buddy formula in Finding Nemo is absolutely shoehorned in. Allth cute anthropomorphism also seems to confuse what is majestic about the undersea world, to try and fit it into its incredible journey narrative. Pixar’s attempts to rehabilitate lousy American comedians continues apace too, with Ellen DeGeneris taking up the slack in that area. As animation it is fun, compelling and has no songs, but Pixar can probably do better, post Belleville Rendezvous and Spirited Away we really have been spoilt this year.