Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind... Romans 12:2
Lee Unkrich & Andrew Stanton, Directors
Walt Disney Home Video, 2003
100 min.
Reviewed by Zoltan Horvath
Finding Nemo is the latest joint project by Disney and Pixar done in computer animation. I found this movie quite entertaining. The plot unfolds as a clown fish ironically named "Marlin" loses his "wife" and all but one of their soon-to-be-hatched "children" to a predator. The surviving hatchling is named Nemo, and Marlin sets out to raise the "boy" as he knows best.
The movie does extremely well at portraying life in a coral reef—at least to a land creature like myself. The life-like animation is superb. There are many entertaining sequences, allusions, and puns that appeal to a wide range of ages including adults. There are many clever parallels between life in the ocean and life on the land as well.
This movie is of course aimed at children, but it is, in my opinion, hardly suitable for that audience without great parental discretion and guidance. Disney has worked hard at indoctrinating our children with "harmless" and entertaining films for decades. They have brought us the disobedience of the "selfish" Little Mermaid and the pagan spirituality of Mulan and Pocahontas. Anyone who thinks this is not so, take heed. I once had a conversation with an adult Christian who was aghast that I would even entertain the thought of hunting. She passionately queried: "You would shoot Bambi?!" She was shocked when I answered in the affirmative and then seemed perplexed when I pointed out that Bambi was not real. Needless to say I could not convince her of error though she had no biblical basis for her view.
The story told in this movie is actually meant to "enlighten" both children and their parents. It is especially geared toward fathers. Marlin is a weak "man" whose "wife" is killed because she does not listen to him. He then essentially becomes a single mother whose whole life is wrapped up in his one "child." He dotes over Nemo profusely, worries about him constantly, and is always trying to keep him from any possible danger. He is so protective that it would make most mothers, not to mention fathers, blush. In this Marlin is showing a strong maternal and not paternal trait. This is actually an accurate portrayal of current conceptions of fatherhood and manhood. We live in such an effeminate society that the mothering shown by fathers is to be expected and even lauded.
It is true that Marlin's protective parenting is viewed as extreme in the movie. However, it apologizes for his character and ultimately portrays him as someone positive which would have a profound effect on a child. Nemo dislikes his father's excessive oversight. At one point he tells him that he hates him—in public! He then deliberately disobeys him—in public. Anyone see similarities in the grocery stores nowadays? Finally, Nemo gets into serious problems due to his disobedience, but of course we never see parental discipline. In fact, his father basically has to apologize for being over-protective as the root cause.
An alternative parenting style is put forward in the movie, which comes across as extremely attractive to children and positive to the audience in general. Marlin meets a sea turtle named "Crush". This character is likeable on a certain level. He is basically a teenaged Californian surfer. Here we see the modern day disdain for all things un-youthful. Marlin addresses him initially as Mr. Sea Turtle to which he replies, "Mister? Dude, that's like my father not me man." Later we find out that he is actually 150 years old "but still young, dude" as though being 150 years old and acting mature would be something to be ashamed of. Crush displays a laidback parenting style, and he's "totally cool." The kind of father every kid who is raised in today's pop-culture would want. Marlin asks him how he was sure that his son was ready to swim in the open ocean given all the dangers. The answer is that one never really knows, but we should leave it up to the child and when they know, then we know. So much for the wisdom and guidance of parents and elders. Basically, Crush is little more than a friend to his son. Sound familiar?
Disney has succeeded at portraying life and the world in their image in Finding Nemo. It contrasts sharply with the Truth taught in the Bible, which is what we are to teach our children. It positively portrays effeminate adult male characters—even the sharks apologize for their teeth. It elevates youth or youthfulness as the ultimate goal. It exalts a child's "right" to find his own way and learn things for himself to the exclusion of parental guidance. Parenting through "consequences" is portrayed as the best tool. However, Scripture teaches that the ultimate consequence of sin is going to hell. That is why it is also written that if we discipline our children they will not die, but we will deliver their souls from hell (Prov 23:13-14). As a father I think I would like to spare my children the consequence of hell.
How far we have fallen in our society from the biblical standard. It is a supreme irony that nowadays because teenagers are wearing grubby clothes and messy hair, men old enough to be their fathers strive to do likewise. When I was a child I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away these childish things (1 Cor 13:11). I certainly look back on my youth with fondness in many ways, nevertheless I see my great foolishness as well—LORD, remember not the sins of my youth (Ps 25:7). Men should be men and teach their boys to grow up likewise. In our society we have the opposite whereby men often either act like women or like teenagers. Finding Nemo portrays both types of male characters. Some may say that it's just a cartoon and will not teach children anything. I suppose Bambi did not carry any message against hunting either.
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