'The Secret of NIMH' was Don Bluth's first film. Bluth defected from Disney when they said that 'NIMH' was 'too dark' for the studio. So, Bluth and about 20 other animators went off and made it for MGM. The end result is a fairly sophisticated animated fantasy that is a highly entertaining counterpoint to the films of Disney.
While kids will enjoy 'NIMH' for characters like Jeremy the clumsy crow (voiced by Bluth regular Dom DeLuise), teenagers and adults will get more out of it due to the interesting story involving superintelligent rats. Make no mistake, though; Bluth is no Ralph Bakshi. While there is blood, violence, and at least one curse word, Don Bluth doesn't even come close to the ultraviolent, ultrasexual antics of Bakshi.
The animation is great, with extremely expressive characters that represent a fantasy vision of the animal world rather than the 'real world'. The voice acting is excellent, and the presence of Derek Jacobi as the voice of the old wise rat Nicodemus does not overwhelm the film. Jacobi is excellent, of course, but so is DeLuise and the late Elizabeth Hartman, who expertly voices the heroic mouse Mrs. Brisby.
All in all, 'The Secret Of NIMH' is a great animated film that jumpstarted the career of Don Bluth (who did not make another 'great' film for some time).
While kids will enjoy 'NIMH' for characters like Jeremy the clumsy crow (voiced by Bluth regular Dom DeLuise), teenagers and adults will get more out of it due to the interesting story involving superintelligent rats. Make no mistake, though; Bluth is no Ralph Bakshi. While there is blood, violence, and at least one curse word, Don Bluth doesn't even come close to the ultraviolent, ultrasexual antics of Bakshi.
The animation is great, with extremely expressive characters that represent a fantasy vision of the animal world rather than the 'real world'. The voice acting is excellent, and the presence of Derek Jacobi as the voice of the old wise rat Nicodemus does not overwhelm the film. Jacobi is excellent, of course, but so is DeLuise and the late Elizabeth Hartman, who expertly voices the heroic mouse Mrs. Brisby.
All in all, 'The Secret Of NIMH' is a great animated film that jumpstarted the career of Don Bluth (who did not make another 'great' film for some time).