MovieChat Forums > The Secret of NIMH (1982) Discussion > maybe this movie was just bad?

maybe this movie was just bad?

posted 18 years ago by silverskysurfer3
40 replies | jump to latest

I watched this with my girlfriend last night, and I really didn't enjoy this movie. Although it might make me geeky, I love watching these old movies from my childhood, and a lot of them hold up from my memory. Unfortunately, Secret of NIMH can never rank with these films. Honestly, I found most every aspect of the movie lacking but the animation. There are so many plot holes I could barely stand it. What is this unelaborated-upon place "NIMH?" Some random scientific lab, where they have MAGIC potion to put into little rodents? And only enough to use on a couple rats, and no more? Also, all rodents could already talk... and even rats who WEREN'T from NIMH could read, i.e., the wife of Jonathon. Why wouldn't the owl eat her? Why couldn't all those rats realize Jenner was up to no good? Honestly, this movie pissed me off, and if I hadn't fooled around afterwards I probably would've gone home a little disssatisfied and angry about watching such a bad film.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] dustbunnies-2 18 years ago

daomen's right all those questions can easilly be answered in the film. to save u the trouble of watching it again however seeing as i can tell u don't like it.

NIMH - meaning the National Institute for Mental Health... well labs obviously are used to experiment... and the rats were used to test a "vaccine" that they made, which increases ur life, and helped one's ability to learn, cuz most things are tested on animals before tested on humans
They pick up rats on the street, they're not hard to find, u don't need a ton of rats for a simple experiment
Not all rodents could read, only she could cuz Johnathan taught her, and yes all rodents could talk, but it wasn't cuz of the vaccine, that's just the way the person who wrote it did it...
The owl didn't eat her cuz she was Johnathan's wife and he was pretty famouse in their world...
They DID KNOW Jenner was up to no good

[–] gurgitoy2 18 years ago

Yes, Mrs. Brisby could read only because her husband, Jonathan taught her. The animals talking was normal (well, in that reality) because it was animal talk...they were speaking only to each other and other animals. They could not speak to humans. In that way, it's like most every other animated movie with animals in it (with a few Disney exceptions).

The rat thing was because rats were easy to find, also I'm sure N.I.H.M. would have gotten even more rats if they were not foiled by the ones they had experimented on.

I thought the movie did a pretty good job of explaining itself and it's "mythology". It was very much like the book.

[–] supergenius6020 12 years ago

"Yes, Mrs. Brisby could read only because her husband, Jonathan taught her. The animals talking was normal (well, in that reality) because it was animal talk...they were speaking only to each other and other animals. They could not speak to humans. "

...so the part where Mrs. Brisby overhears the telephone conversation between the farmer and NIMH is what, exactly?

[–] just-a-critic 11 years ago

Understanding speech is not the same as being able to speak. Ask a dog, it can tell you... no, wait.

[–] katakat 17 years ago

Actually the "explanation" I myself have always found obvious is that NiMH stands for "nickel-metal hydride battery" - meaning that the secret behind the rats' developed society is the capability to use electricity!

Of course the drugs were distributed to the rats in a research lab, most probably by the National Institute for Mental Health, which makes "NIMH" a double motive in the story: NIMH, through the vaccination of the rats, is responsible for the rats' capability to make use of NiMH batteries, therefore enabling their small-scale "industrialization"!

Need I elaborate how impressed I was by this movie as a child, and even nowadays as an adult, at least 15 years after I first saw it?

[–] crazymanmichael 17 years ago

That's an interesting hypothesis, however, The Secret of NIMH was made in 1982 (and the book, Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH was written in 1971, I believe), and NIMH batteries didn't appear on the market until 1987 or 1988.

[–] brandonsc 18 years ago

*slaps head*

Perhaps if you paid attention to the film you might have understood it. It doesnt' take a genius, but it does take someone reasonably intelligent.

[–] cabana_girl_01 18 years ago

Not ot be rude, firleading I will be. This movie is wonderful and all of its plots are far explained within its text and if you can understand its wonderfulness thats your issues though you most likley know this already therefor noone needs to comment on it.
once again sorry if i was rude.
-Miss Victoria Ann juliet capton Romono

[–] pannala537 18 years ago

why were u even watching this movie arent u a little too old? I mean i love all the movies from my childhood but you cant try to get logic out of this movie. animals talking its a fantasy so the plot holes aside it doesnt really matter now does it.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ThisbeDave-1 18 years ago

This movie flat-out rules! And after not seeing it in 15 years, not only did it geek me out with 80's nostalgia, it became my favorite animated movie of all time. I couldn't belive how well it held up! Now let's just hope Mr. Bluth gets that "Dragon's Lair" movie made.

[–] Amnesty_International 18 years ago

I'll be 18 in two weeks and this movie is still a masterpiece to me. The animation is absolutely inspirational, and the writing, music, and voice overs work so well with the movie. Definitely among my top movies. The "flaws" that were pointed out were for the most part elaborated upon. Mrs. Brisby herself told Nicodemus that Jonathan taught her to read a little (and even that her children were better at it, suggesting that whatever was injected in the rodents travels genetically). What the hell NIMH was didn't even need to be elaborated upon, its mysterious nature set the mood by itself (but it was revealed that it is a mental health institute). All animals can talk in movies where animals are the central characters (otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a movie, would it? Hell, maybe the animals really are communicating in their language and the movie makes it English so people can understand, like every other movie with talking animals does). I thought it was pretty logical that Nicodemus made some contact with the Great Owl warning him of an important visit. Mr. Ages said himself that Jenner was "up to no good."

[–] moxie_slacker 18 years ago

Have you considered that your need to have all possible explanations and mysteries of a story be outright explained to you could be the problem, and not the film?

You should be thankful you even managed to stumble upon a film that makes you think.

"You and I are pro-insanity" -John Wozniak

[–] NewBeanz 17 years ago

I used to think Don Bluth was a good animator... So I watched film after film hoping to see some of the genius people talk about... Every film he made since 87 was just bad... But all this time I thought to myself that "The Secret Of NIMH" was his masterpiece and that I would see it one day and understand why he's soo good...
Now after seeing it, I just feel cheated...
Awful awful overrated film...

[–] reynardtfox 17 years ago

I agree. Beautiful animation, but, at the time it was released, the book was my favorite, and I loathed the changes they made to the story in the film.

[–] king_of_bob 10 years ago

Yes? Well, the most well respected critic of all time disagrees with you.

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-secret-of-nimh-1982

But what does he know, right?

Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!

[–] veisbier 17 years ago

Well, plenty of other people already pointed out the "plot holes" were explained in film. The only aspect of the film that bothers me is how did the rats clean up all the evidence under the rose bush? Fairly extensive tunnels, electrical wiring,sophisticated architecture. ect. I suppose the tunnels could be colapsed and destroy alot of that stuff, but the time frame is pretty tight, if they have to be gone in one night, and they've already invested a lot of time into moving the Brisby home.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] insert_angsty_name 17 years ago

You're kidding right? This was one of the few 'fantasy' movies I watched as a child that didn't try to talk down to me.

[–] Zred 17 years ago

I first watched this at age 6. Today, at age 20, due to my nostalgia for childhood movies I revisited the movie yesterday. It did not live up to my expectations in any way.. in fact I found it plain boring. Plot-wise, I can't believe that Mrs. Brisby would go to all that trouble just to prevent Timmy from being exposed to the outside fresh air for the short duration of a move.

I've revisited other childhood animated movies that were much better than this, including some of Bluth's other movies such as An American Tail, All Dogs Go To Heaven and several Disney movies, so I would stamp this movie as being overrated!
However, I did manage to cling on to the memory of this movie for 14 years, so I must have enjoyed it as a child. And since this is a children's movie, I guess that's all that really matters.

[–] wildanimals 17 years ago

This beats any of the CGI crap these days. Sure, SoN might be dated, but it's a classic.

[–] Invalid_Litter_Dept 17 years ago

Plot-wise, I can't believe that Mrs. Brisby would go to all that trouble just to prevent Timmy from being exposed to the outside fresh air for the short duration of a move.

Yeah, why bother? It's not as if he was liable to die of pneumonia if he went outside, or anything.

No offence, but it seems as if you missed the point here, a tad.

As for the original poster:

Some random scientific lab,

Not random. "NIMH?" "You know - the National Institute of Mental Health." When Mr and Mrs Fitzgibbons are discussing the call from NIMH regarding the rats out in the barn. Just because you weren't paying attention, and I'm sorry but you obviously weren't, it doesn't mean that the film was at fault. Not all films hold their plot points up on billboards to make sure you GET IT. Some are subtle, and demand that you pay attention.

where they have MAGIC potion to put into little rodents?

Nobody said it was MAGIC potion. Where did you get that from?

And only enough to use on a couple rats, and no more?

They used it on more than a couple, and on mice too. And even if they WERE only using it on a couple, so what? Why is that a plot hole? Labs need funding, and maybe they didn't have enough to create much of the serum.

Also, all rodents could already talk... and even rats who WEREN'T from NIMH could read, i.e., the wife of Jonathon.

They could "talk" because of the convention in films and (especially children's) literature that animals can communicate with one another fluently. The experiments were to make them smarter - able to read, able to understand science, intelligent in a human sense.

And Jonathan taught her to read, as the film explains. "I can read, a little. Jonathan taught me." Oh, and by the way, the "wife of Jonathon"'s name was Mrs Brisby - she's kind of the main character. Don't worry, they only repeated a few dozen times.

Why wouldn't the owl eat her?

Perhaps because it would have been less than decent to invite someone into his house and then snack on them? Perhaps because, as Jeremy said, owls hunt only after dark? Perhaps he just didn't fancy mouse that night? (And again, why is THAT a plot hole?)

Why couldn't all those rats realize Jenner was up to no good?

What makes you think they didn't? Justin did, Mr Ages did, Nicodemus was watching him plotting on TV so most certainly knew it. The other rats were perhaps fearful of his intentions but swayed by his argument - the Thorn Valley plan was risky to them, and no doubt sticking around as Jenner suggested had its appeal.

[–] Kanano 17 years ago

"Plot-wise, I can't believe that Mrs. Brisby would go to all that trouble just to prevent Timmy from being exposed to the outside fresh air for the short duration of a move."

"Yeah, why bother? It's not as if he was liable to die of pneumonia if he went outside, or anything."

That was hilarious the way you put that xD

[–] calishreveguy 17 years ago

OP your an idiot, this movie was one of the best animated movies from the 80s.

"Fievel: Tiger, give them the lazy eye."

[–] king_of_bob 10 years ago

I can't believe that Mrs. Brisby would go to all that trouble just to prevent Timmy from being exposed to the outside fresh air for the short duration of a move.

She was told that doing so would likely kill him. I don't know what kind of parent you're going to be, but most parents don't take those kinds of risks with their childrens lives.

I've revisited other childhood animated movies that were much better than this, including some of Bluth's other movies such as An American Tail, All Dogs Go To Heaven and several Disney movies, so I would stamp this movie as being overrated!

I watched all three of those movies within 24 hours of each other(for a podcast I'm doing), and NIMH was by far the strongest of the three. Not to mention the techniques used in this movie were groundbreaking.

It's not overrated at all. You need to consider that these are all meant to be KIDS stories, but they deal with very adult issues the whole way through. The thing about Bluth and his films is that he doesn't treat children like they need to be coddled or sheltered from scary things.

Look at this movie for a second. The kids are barely in the movie. The children in the audience are connecting to the movie entirely through an adult, and it works because Mrs. Brisby is relatively a child(in terms of her intelligence relative to the rats). But she's incredibly brave. No matter how scared she is, and she's terrified of almost everything she has to do in the movie, she carries on because she needs to help her son.

Prof. Farnsworth: Oh. A lesson in not changing history from Mr. I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!

[–] todd1700 10 years ago

maybe this movie was just bad?

Or maybe you just have sh###y taste.

[–] Woodheazle 17 years ago

I tell you what I think didn't stack up from the epic movies of my childhood: The Never Ending Story. Now that the wolf type character is no longer scary (I realise I'm not 5 years old anymore, but that's not the point (and doesn't help me so will be selectively excluded)) there is nothing going for it. "Bastian" was the least inspiring kid I've ever seen.

Throw him back in the dumpster.

[–] vix-29 17 years ago

johnnywoodhouse - totally agree on your point with the never ending story...loved it as a child but now that the fear is gone its not really that good a film...:(

love the SoN though....well drawn, well voiced, good plot....ah the nostalgia

*Every time you call me a girls name i die a little inside*

[–] WolfsChild 17 years ago

Yeah, The Never Ending Story used to be my favorite movie as a kid...but I saw it again a couple weeks ago and just wanted to strangle Bastion! -_-
Don't even get me started on the sequal. But I'll ALWAYS love S.o.N.

A Wolf is a Wolf...as Hitokiri is Hitokiri, right Battosai?–Saito Hajime

[–] shadowcat5433 17 years ago

Yeah, I was rather obsessed with Never-Ending Story when I was in elementary school, but I watched it a couple years ago and could hardly make it to the end. Awesome movie, but I think it's better off when you're too young to really analyze it.

And on NIMH - if you don't understand it, watch it again and actually pay attention. Or better yet, read the amazing book. This movie was made for kids -not too hard to figure out the plot.

[–] wiseowl103 17 years ago

I just recently revisited The Secret of Nimh. It was one of my favorite animated movies for a long time when I was a kid. I was actually surprised to find I honestly enjoyed it, and not just on a nostalgic level, I actually do like the story. I definately think it's a cut above most Disney movies - Disney has a nasty habit of ruining perfectly good fairy tales, it drives me crazy - and generally one of the most atmospheric animated movies I've ever seen.

Now, on the Never-Ending Story: I used to love watching movies like that as a kid, I always loved fantasy. This particular movie used to creep me out, particularly the wolf at the end. Upon seeing it again, it wasn't as scary as it once was, but I thought it was patchy. There were parts of the story I thought were very effective and other parts that were less so. The swamps of sadness was a scary and effective idea, and Artax's demise just breaks my heart every time.

In closing, the movies of our childhood may or may not live up to our memories later in life. But there are certain movies from that time in my life that I'm not ashamed to admit I enjoyed, The Secret of Nimh and Neverending Story were two of those. The Princess Bride is another movie like that, but honestly, who doesn't love that movie?

"Come with me if you want to live"