"Finding Nemo" (G) (out of four)

There's no question about it: "Finding Nemo" is going to make a splash with moviegoers -- and especially with those who have come to love the remarkable contributions of Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios.

FINDING NEMO Alexander Gould (Nemo) Interview, Movie Clips, Slideshow, Movie Quiz Gould Interview: HTML Version John Ratzenberger (Moonfish) Interview: HTML Version

With the monstrous success of "Monsters, Inc.," Disney-Pixar had some pretty big fish to fry with "Finding Nemo." They had to create a setting that takes place almost completely underwater, and do so convincingly. They had to convince you that fish could talk and have feelings. Most of all, that emotion had to match the level of the film's spectacular visuals.

And in the face of those expectations, "Finding Nemo" fires on all burners. In the end, it's another unique tale that's equally as impressive as its computer-animated predecessors. In short, it's a great movie.

"Finding Nemo" surrounds the title character (voiced by Alexander Gould), a small clownfish born with one abnormally sized fin. But Nemo is not hampered by this physical shortcoming; it's his over-protective father, Marlin (Albert Brooks), who has him down.

So, in an act of defiance on a field trip to the Great Barrier Reef, Nemo decides to show his father he's completely capable of handling himself. And he's pretty convincing at doing so, until a diver snares him in a net.

Distraught over his only spawn's capture, Marlin sets out to find Nemo with the help of Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a good-natured fish with a short-term memory problem. But he has a ways to go to do it, because Nemo resides with a group of fish in an aquarium in Australia overlooking the Sydney Harbor. Worse yet, he's about to become a present for a not-so-gentle child.

In my recent review of "The Matrix Reloaded," I without hesitation remarked how the visual effects of the film were among the best ever put on screen. And I can easily say that "Finding Nemo" also joins those ranks.

That's because like all of the other Disney-Pixar movies, "Finding Nemo" is one giant visual effect. That's not to say it's a one-note movie -- it's far from it. In fact, there are countless tiny visual effects that make it happen. And the sum of all its parts is awe-inspiring. The water and waves appear to be real, and the vibrant colors of the vast underwater colonies of fish and plant life are mesmerizing.

Perhaps the reason we don't look at the movie as a string of visual effects, though, is because the story, like its Disney-Pixar predecessors, is so engaging. The characters are unique, the dialogue is funny and fresh, and the story as a whole is one that parents and kids can both relate to. Once again, the filmmakers, this time led by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, have managed to capture the "big kid" audience with a fine amount of wit and wisdom.

Making it complete is a wonderful stable of voice performers. From DeGeneres, Brooks and Gould, to Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett and Allison Janney (who voice three of Nemo's aquarium friends), they easily make you believe their characters are real.

Brooks not only succeeds by bringing his trademark-neurotic characterization to the fold as Marlin; he expands his fins quite a bit as the uptight father figure in the film begins to loosen up. DeGeneres provide a perfect balance to his Brooks' character as Dory, and is responsible for the film's funniest moments (a scene where the two encounter a whale is classic).

Other standouts include Stanton, who on top of his directorial duties voices the role of Crush, a sea turtle "dude" who helps Marlin and Dory on their quest to find Nemo. On top of that, Geoffrey Rush shines as an Australian pelican, and Barry Humphries as is playfully mean as Bruce, a massive shark who is in a recovery program to abstain from eating fish.

Although the film is rated G, a couple of scenes in "Finding Nemo" border on parental guidance (PG) territory. One obvious instance is when Bruce the shark turns up the heat, which may be scary to some tots. Any fears should be short-lived, though, when we come to discover how much of a lovable lug he is.

The other instance hearkens to a curious Disney film tradition, where we experience the death of a significant character.

Sure, it's a necessary plot development that sets up the film's premise, and it's hardly a reason to keep your kids away from the film. Just be prepared, in the vein of "The Lion King," to explain the "great circle of life." That's because like other Disney-Pixar productions, there are some lessons to be learned here, too.

For all its visual wizardry, perhaps what will draw you most into the fascinating underwater world of "Finding Nemo" are the eyes of its characters. They truly are the windows to the soul in this film, and without souls, these characters wouldn't feel real. That's the amazing thing about these computer-animated gems -- they often come off as more real than their live-action film counterparts.

And in the case of "Finding Nemo," there's nothing fishy about it. The filmmakers and voice actors poured their heart into this movie, and it shows.