Review of The Secret of NIMH (1982) by Genaro C — 09 Jul 2015

If asked the question for whatever obscure reason, I would say no animation director had as many ups and downs as Don Bluth. Starting off with a string of fairly strong productions, leading into a descent in quality and finally finishing on a good note, he has certainly left a legacy. Whether it's a good one or not is up to the individual, but I personally take the positive perspective. Though there is bitter irony in that his work has largely been pushed into obscurity by Disney productions these last couple of decades, he was on the right track in some regards, and that is greatly demonstrated by his first feature.

Mice and rats have always been a good choice for anthropomorphized animals. Why that is remains a mystery, but Disney took notice of that by several original sources, such as those for "The Rescuers" and "The Great Mouse Detective". The decision to adapt this film's book counterpart was particularly inspired, as it provides a premise that regards these animals' human level intelligence as more than a mere fact of life. Yet, even though endowed with the characteristics of humans, we're reminded that they are still mice and rats. They live at the mercy of the people whose land they inhabit, making their world separate and distant from that of humanity. More so than most of the Disney films, this is a movie that shows us what it might be like seeing the world from the viewpoint of a small animal...and it can be frightening.

Animation quality is of particular note, given that it was a primary motivation for Bluth's departure from Disney. He certainly made his point here, as "The Secret of NIMH" sports a variety of interesting settings and frequent character movement. As many point out, this is a fairly dark movie, but not in a cheap shocks manner like "Watership Down". This is a movie that earns its darkness by virtue of a brooding atmosphere that complements the situation; after all, survival and the threat of death are at the forefront. The image of Mrs. Brisby standing on a rock at dusk is more faithful to the cover of "Watership Down" than anything in that movie. Fog and shadow are prevalent, painting the portrait of an enigmatic world, which indeed this is. How many sights does the main character behold that most have not? And what sights they are, including the unforgettable Great Owl and the technologically enhanced burrow of the rats.

However, the single greatest achievement of the movie is a lot simpler than technical aptitude. Strong lead characters have become increasingly uncommon, all too often overshadowed by a colorful supporting cast, a trend animation is not immune to. "The Secret of NIMH" expertly avoids that problem by the truly remarkable Mrs. Brisby. Single parents are abundant in animation, but rarely is the situation seen from their point of view, a direction that gives us a sympathetic central figure with honorable intentions and challenges that feel real. Consider a wonderful scene where she sits in a room with her four children, simply feeding one of them. The same way that mothers are called the heart and soul of households, so is Mrs. Brisby the heart and soul of this movie, as she endures emotional and physical tribulations and undergoes an evolution in bravery that hits all the right notes. Elizabeth Hartman's excellent performance is no small contributor to this, granting the correct blend of warmth and vulnerability. With little doubt, this is an exemplary character for animated features.

The rest of the cast is another matter. Roger Ebert once pointed out that the abundance of characters prevents them from engaging us emotionally, and I would agree. No one else in the cast is allotted enough time to become a fully realized individual, and fewer linger in memory after the credits roll. The villain is kind of an afterthought, and the rats are each defined by a single characteristic. That's not to say everyone was devoid of charm or intrigue, though. I did like Mrs. Brisby's daughters, Teresa and Cynthia, the Shrew is amusingly pompous, and the Great Owl is awe-inspiring. The one true blotch in this area is the crow, Jeremy. Obviously, he was intended for comic relief, but not only is such a thing out of place for this type of film; he himself is out of place. The attempts at humor are gratingly flat and his personality just conflicts with the sobering tone, a problem that wouldn't be so noteworthy if nearly every scene he is in weren't needlessly drawn out. Why he is included to such an extent is beyond me, as he serves virtually no purpose in the story and his moments with Mrs. Brisby end up being pitiful instead of endearing, since most of the time she clearly recognizes what a nuisance he his.

True to its nature, "The Secret of NIMH" was a real mystery to me during my earlier years, since it was the last Don Bluth film I managed to see. Initially, all I knew of it came from brief clips in MGM trailers, and the images (particularly the one of the climax) were certainly stirring enough to grab my attention. When I finally did see it, I regarded it highly, and am pleased to say it provided its Disney contemporaries with worthy competition.