Films That Click (Part 1): Secret of NIMH

Last year, I did a series of reviews where I reviewed movies that I didn't click with either because I thought they were overrated or because I simply couldn't quite appreciate what the film was trying to do at the time. It was a way for me to revisit certain films and give them a second opportunity. And while I really enjoyed that experience, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the time spent rewatching old favorites instead of films that qualified for that series. 

So in this pseudo second season of Films That Didn't Click, we are going to go the complete opposite direction. 

Now, this series isn't simply going to be a series on some of my favorite films (although some of them obviously will be). Rather, these are films that do something really specific that I love that I rarely get from other movies. 

With that in mind, I thought I start with the most perfect candidate I can think of for this series. 

The question, "is animation art?" has a rather simple answer. Yes, yes it is. However, that is not what the question is trying to ask. It is not asking whether animation is a form of expression. It is asking whether animation can explore deep, complex, and mature themes. It is asking whether animation can explore the human condition to the point of it being timeless and universal. It's wondering whether animation can challenge and emotionally move audiences rather than pander and entertain. 

For Japanese animation, this answer has been thoroughly explored. The same can't be said for Western animation. For a time, animated movies in America had a stigma of being treated as entertainment for children and teens. And anytime they try to go for something deeper, it is usually juvenile humor for dude bros like Family Guy or South Park. 

However, there are exceptions, and one of the bigger exceptions is Don Bluth. 

Don Bluth is one of those instances where someone or something feels so out of their time like Leonardo Di Vinci or the Sega Dreamcast. In an age where Western animation was a means to sell toys or to make Walt Disney money, Don Bluth was out there pushing what was capable in animation. Movies that were more emotionally intense and more thematically deep. 

This leads to Don Bluth's debut title, Secret of NIMH, which best encapsulates Don Bluth and his philosophy on animation. 

Now, I should probably preface that the genius of this movie isn't as apparent as other movies. When the movie starts, it seems like a typical adventure film about a mouse named Mrs. Brisby, a widow and mother, who wants to find medicine for her very sick son. And along the way, she comes across various characters and situations. At the face of it, Secret of NIMH is about as stripped down as the Land Before Time. The only difference being the thematic overtones about humanities' treatment of animals. 

It's difficult then to place why everyone including myself loves this film, but I think it starts with Mrs. Brisby. 

I never met a person who loves this film who doesn't consider Mrs. Brisby as one of the best protagonists in movies. For starters, she is about as seemingly simple as the movie itself. She is just modest, focused, and charming. She is instantly likable the moment you look at her. However, there is more lurking under the hood that gives her a lot more depth. Firstly, there is the undercurrent related to her late husband. The movie has this reoccurring thing to how her husband hangs over her head due to her husband being a significant figure in their world. Certain characters will immediately dismiss her only give her every ounce of attention once they know about her relation to Mr. Brisby. She is constantly reminded about how much her husband means to the rat society at large. It doesn't degrade her character. Rather, her reactions to these situations are what make Mrs. Brisby so authentic and interesting. And in spite of her husband. she still stands on own taking initiative. She doesn't wallow at the thought of a boy like some poorly written female characters, but she doesn't completely ignore her husband's place in her life either. It is a nice balance.

It is also unlike typical female characters because the gender aspects of the character aren't the focus of the story. They are all minor but significant parts to Brisby's main goal. In fact, every part of the film ties back into Brisby's quest to help her sick son. It's almost bizarre that a film that has supernatural elements, a society of rats complete with lore and backstory, and overt social commentary are simply little sprinkles on a movie that is essentially about a mom running a CVS errand. In any other movie, it would be considered a frustrating plot full of missed opportunities and untapped potential. However, it manages to work here. 

If you read my review on Atlantis, you might have remembered how I complained about it feeling too short. That the movie didn't have enough time to explore its characters and world. Despite being even shorter than Atlantis, Secret of NIMH manages to not feel incomplete because the modular design is so simple. We aren't dealing with ten characters; we are dealing with one. And all the worldbuilding, the supernatural elements, and the politics don't matter because all that matters is Mrs. Brisby. Sure, it would be nice to see this world get expanded upon in some form that isn't that crime against humanity, Timmy to the Rescue. However, the movie is smart to focus on what matters and in turn makes a concise 80 minute film where every frame of animation feels deliberate. 

I said the reason people love this film starts with Mrs. Brisby, but it also ends with Mrs. Brisby too. She is easily the secret to why Secret of NIMH clicks so well, and they don't do it by making Mrs. Brisby a "chosen one" or some singular force that saves rat-manity. 

To put it simply, Secret of NIMH reinforces the Don Bluth philosophy by being true to itself. In a way, the question of whether animation is art is a red herring. Secret of NIMH has no interest in being deep or mature. Oh it's both of those things, but it isn't for the sake of being "art." It does it with the one goal of reinforcing this particular character's journey. 

In the end, the secret of this movie is the key to why we love art in the first place. That art at the end of the day is finding meaning in something as simple as a mom getting medicine.