Finding Nemo 3D

Directed by Andrew Stanton
Starring the voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Allison Janney & Geoffrey Rush
In UK Cinemas March 29th, 2013

by Joanna Orland

If you haven’t already seen one of Pixar’s greatest productions – Finding Nemo, what is wrong with you?  While most people cite Toy Story, Monster’s Inc., or The Incredibles as their favourite Pixar film, I have always defended Finding Nemo as the title holder (with Wall-E & Toy Stories not too far behind).

So when I had the chance to see Finding Nemo once again on the big screen, AND in 3D, I had to jump at it.  It wasn’t just an excellent experience, it was an emotional one.  The 3D adds a new magical dimension to the film, really immersing the viewer in the underwater world of Marlin, the fatherly fish who is in search of his son Nemo.  Another emotional element was to see a younger generation enjoying this film for potentially the first time!  By bringing this film back to the cinema, it is able to find a newer and wider audience, all of whom were loving every minute of it just as much as I was.

With the magical immersion created by the 3D, and the younger audience in awe of seeing this film for the first time, there was only one more element that made this the perfect experience – the epic journey of Finding Nemo.  This film has it all.  Beautiful animation, direction and cinematography.  A classic storyline involving a journey of not only self discovery, but also of pure adventure.  Loveable original characters that the audience believes in and cares about.

Even if it’s been awhile since you’ve seen Finding Nemo, I’m sure you remember these loveable sea creatures that we meet along Marlin’s journey:  There are the surfer dude Sea Turtles who are riding the East Australian Current, led by father figure dude Crush (voiced by the director himself, Andrew Stanton).  There are the vegetarian sharks led by pack leader Bruce (“Fish are friends, not food.“).  There is pelican Nigel who checks in on Nemo and lives alongside the baby birds who, in unison, repeatedly chant “Mine. Mine. Mine.“.  There are Nemo’s aquarium friends including surly Gill (Willem Dafoe), Peach the starfish (Allison Janney), and the rest of the motley crew of seaquarium life.  You have Nemo and his father Marlin as the key story arcs as they are the entire reason this journey is happening in the first place.  And then you have Dory.  If you remember anything from Finding Nemo, ironically, it is Dory, the blue regal tang fish with the memory of… well… a gold fish.

Anyway… Dory is the highlight of this film.  Ellen DeGeneres voices this charming, endearing and hilarious character with such a natural ability that she comes to life on the screen as if she were a real human being rather than a digitally animated fish.  If there is only one reason to see this film, it is her.

Overall, while the 3D does add more immersion to the film, the real reason to see Finding Nemo 3D in the cinema is to once again, or for your first time, experience these wonderful characters and journey on the big screen it deserves to be shown on.