The Secret Of NIMH Review

MPAA Rating: G
Released: 1982

The Secret of NIMH is an absorbing tale about a meek mother mouse that must undertake a dangerous adventure to save the life of her home and children. Featuring top-notch animation and a non-saccharine, yet heartwarming all the same, story, this animated movie is not only one of the best of the 80's, but one of the best of all time.

I had fond memories of watching this film as a child; anytime it was on HBO I was glued to the set. Sometimes nostalgia has a way of making past memories of a movie better than the actual reality, so when I grabbed this DVD in order to revisit it for this review I was a bit anxious about how it would fare for me over time. Would the passage of twenty years lessen the impact The Secret of NIMH once possessed? Happily, the answer was no.

Watching this film reminded me exactly why I was so enchanted with it as a child. It is a true rarity among animated movies, for it truly can be called a family film that all ages can enjoy. Unlike the typical mindless sugary cartoon movies Disney produced, The Secret of NIMH possessed a pretty deep storyline, likeable characters, fantastic animation and a slightly dark edge to it when compared to other G-rated cartoons.

Mrs. Brisby is a gentle mouse and a mother of four, one of which is Timmy, who is deathly ill with pneumonia. Although she receives a medicinal tea that will cure her son from the kindly, if not a bit cranky, Mr. Agnes, another more pressing danger arrives. Her home is located on a field belonging to Farmer Fitzgibbons, and due to an early spring thaw he is about to plow her fields before she can relocate her home. Due to her son's poor health, he cannot leave the home to relocate as the cold air could kill him.

With the aid of a lovelorn crow (voiced by Dom DeLuise) and the advice of the feared Great Owl, she learns of a group of mysterious rats that live nearby who possess the capability to help her physically move her home to safety before it's too late. Nicodemus, the wise leader of the rats, agrees to help her for he fondly recalls how her deceased husband once rescued them from the clutches of NIMH.

But the rats are having power struggles of their own, and some aren't in the least bit happy about granting her aid. Though she has discovered the secret of NIMH and the rats capable of helping her, the dangers she will face have only just begun.

Don Bluth presented this film to Disney and was rejected on the basis Disney believed the film to be too dark. He believed in the film enough to quit Disney along with some other associates and craft the Secret of NIMH on his own. This was a wise choice, for the animation quality by far exceeded what Disney put out in those days, and the storyline to this day remains the strongest in a family-oriented animated feature.

A minority of fans of the book that the movie was based on, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, criticize the film for taking certain liberties with the original novel. While it is true that the movie does depart some from the novel, it keeps the essence of the original source while making it far more palatable for the big screen. As a side note, no knowledge of the original book is necessary to enjoy this film whatsoever (I never read it as a child).

One of the reasons the film manages to appeal to both children and adults is its perfect balance of warmth and darkness. Most of the characters are extremely likeable, good-hearted individuals, but there are darker characters in the film that aren't above violence or killing. Main characters can and do die in this film, and some wounds do show a flash of blood (though nothing disturbing or graphic). For these reasons, the tension may be a little too much for the youngest of children, but overall it is a G-rated movie that ends on a happy note.

If you have children of your own I highly recommend The Secret of NIMH; it's a movie filled with action and good morals. Naturally any adult that enjoys animated films (hey, it's good to be young at heart!) would also want to catch this prime example of an 80's animated movie done right.

Nostalgia will sometimes let us down, but The Secret of NIMH manages to pass the test of time.

Movie rating: 9 stars

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