The film was created by Don Bluth, a man who worked at Disney, but after that production refused the project, claiming it was too dark for little children, Don left Disney to create his own studio and began production with his first film: The Secret of NIMH, which was very well welcomed by the public.
The film tells the story of a female mouse, Mrs. Brisby, who following the death of her husband, Jonathan, lives alone in a field with her children and one of them is very sick. She knows that the plowing of the field should start very soon, but her son can not move at risk of dying from cold outside, and if the family stays, they will be killed by the tractor. After receiving a advise by the Great Owl, a wise living in the forest, Brisby goes to a community of rats living in the rosebush of the farm. But she will discover that these rats are hiding a secret..... A secret or her husband was also involved.
Although the film features talking animals, the atmosphere is quite dark and some scenes may scare (like the scene with the Great Owl, or the scene of the final battle between Jenner and Justin). The deaths of the characters are not censored, and there is a little blood too. But I find it very impressive. The film is a very good entertainment, I really liked. The story is short but original, the characters are very interesting and the actors have very well done character voices (for original voices and French voices too, because I watched both versions)
And now, some characters of the movie:
The Great Owl
I start with my favorite character in the film: The Great Owl. At first glance, he seems be evil and nasty, but he's not. It's a wise, living in a sinister old tree in a forest, and although it seems feared by the others, he is known for his advice, but he seems feared by the other animals, because according to Mr. Ages, no one is ever back alive after being sought advice from the Grand Owl.. His lair is covered with cobwebs and bones of its preys, making his house a nightmarish and terrifying place for rodents and other small animals. Brisby herself is terrified by the place when she comes to ask him advice. At first I was afraid for Brisby because I thought that after giving his advice, the owl would decide not to let her leave alive, but ultimately, before being a predator, he is a wise, and despite his terrifying gaze, he seems to have had pity for Brisby and wanted to help her. The Great Owl is the proof of one thing: "we must not be fooled by appearances."
Mrs. Brisby
The main hero of the film, the lovely and adorable Mrs. Brisby. She is a little mother that every child would love to have: loving, courageous, protective, sweet .... Brisby was the wife of Jonathan, and since the death of her husband, she lives alone and has no another fiance, showing her loyalty to her husband. Brisby has great courage because despite her small size, she does not hesitate to venture into the dark and sinister places and face the creatures largest than her. In a way, Mr. Brisby seems to embody the sweetness and innocence in a world filled with terrifying creatures, violence and terror. I loved the character of Mrs. Brisby, and I think she will become one of my favorite female characters in the animated movies. I'm not ashamed to admit I had a little crush on her.
Nicodemus
Another character who may seem evil at first, but which also turns out to be a great wise. Moreover, he is a good friend of the Great Owl. His name is Nicodemus, and he is the leader of the rats of NIMH. Like them, Nicodemus has undergone scientific experiments on genetic research, which has changed his body, his longevity and his intelligence. Now he speaks, thinks and walks like a human. Nicodemus has a great knowledge, he can read and write, and even seems to possess magical powers. Nicodemus has great affection for Mrs. Brisby and takes her under his protection, in memory of Jonathan, that he considered almost like a brother. But unfortunately, Nicodemus dies in the film, victim of the greed and cruelty of another malicious character. Too bad, Nicodemus was a good character. RIP Nicodemus. :(
Justin
Justin is also one of the rats of NIMH, but younger than Nicodemus, and also a very good friend of Jonathan. Justin plays the role of guard in the cave of the rats. He is rather relaxed mood and even joking at times, like when he likes to surprise Mr. Ages and Mrs. Brisby. Besides, when Justin meets Mrs. Brisby for the first time, he seems attracted by the young female mouse, and she enjoys the company of the young rat. I even wonder if Justin was not falling in love with Mrs. Brisby. At the end, Justin is devastated by the death of Nicodemus, but seeing Mrs. Brisby in danger, he doesn't hesitate to come to her rescue, and fight against the main villain in a duel with swords. As in most animated films, Justin embodies the knight who comes to help the princess. But in the end, Justin leaves with the rats of NIMH to a better place, but do not stays with Mrs. Brisby. I think he understood that Mrs. Brisby always has feelings for Jonathan, and he accepted that, and as the new leader of the rats, he wants above all the good of his community.
Jenner
And here Jenner, the main villain of the film. I'll be honest, the first time I saw him, I immediately think "oh I feel that I will not like him," and it's true. Jenner is the opposite of Mrs. Brisby. He is cruel, dark, ruthless and hungry of power. At first he pretended to be affected by the proposal of Mrs. Brisby and is pleasant to her. But seeing the head of Mrs. Brisby, I understand that she does not look convinced of his attitude. And in reality, Jenner sees this mission as a boon to develop its real plan: kill Nicodemus and become the leader of the rats. In the end, Jenner wants to kill Mrs. Brisby because he sees her as a threat for his reign, but fortunately Justin intervenes and a terrible fight ensued between the two rats. And finally, Jenner is killed, not by Justin, but by his own brother, who had decided to join the gentile side.
Jeremy
Jeremy is a raven, and the main comic element of the film. He is very nice, but very awkward and somewhat naive. He seems to have a curse with the ropes, because it is still tangled in the ropes. But despite this, he is a really nice guy and always willing to help. Jeremy seems a little fearful too, but that adds to its comic side. In the film, Jeremy hopes to find the love of his life but seems increasingly desperate to find her, but in the end, he meets a female raven, who have the same character as him.
Mr. Ages
A character that made me laugh a little. Mr. Ages is a mouse rather old but very learned and is also a doctor. He has a laboratory installed in an old agricultural machine abandoned in the middle of the field. Among his inventions, he developed a cure against pneumonia and a soporific powder to asleep the cat of the farm. Mr. Ages seems rather lonely and doesn't like to have company. In the story, we learn that Mr. Ages was, like Jonathan, a mouse that has undergone a genetic mutation because of the experiences in the laboratory of NIMH, which then explains all his medical skills.
Brutus
Brutus is one of NIMH rats, where he plays the role of guard, and he seems to keep the entrance of the area of rats. Brutus appears during a short moment in the film, but the scene is quite impressive and may even scare the younger children. Brutus seems to have a very aggressive and impulsive side, because even when Mrs. Brisby told him she comes to see Nicodemus, Brutus continues to attack her. He is armed with a spear that emits electric shock powerful enough and tries repeatedly to electrocute Mrs. Brisby. Brutus is considered as a villain, yet he also seems to have a good background, because in the end, he is seen just a second, and we can hear Justin telling him to tie a rope to help to pull up the house of the mouses that sinks into the mud.
Dragon
Dragon is the cat of the farm, and it was he who, according to the story, has killed Jonathan, while this one was trying to put a soporific powder in the cat's food. Dragon is rather big, but he is pretty fast and agile, and above all extremely aggressive when it comes to hunting prey. He seems to have a blind eye, but the reason is not explained.
In conclusion, "The Secret of NIMH" is a small masterpiece of animation work with an original story, charismatic characters in a rather gloomy atmosphere. I highly recommend it for fans of animated films and discover like me, the secret of the rats of NIMH.
Mathias, the Killmaster
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