The Secret of NIMH

Name: The Secret of NIMH
Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Fantasy
Released: July 16, 1982
Duration: 82 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Arthur Malet, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise, Elizabeth Hartman, Hermione Baddeley

1982

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 27 Ratings

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 27 Ratings

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The Secret Of Nimh

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Movie Details & Credits

United Artists | Release Date: July 16, 1982 | G

Starring: Arthur Malet, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise, Elizabeth Hartman, Hermione Baddeley, Ian Fried, Jodi Hicks, John Carradine, Shannen Doherty, Wil Wheaton

Summary: To save her ill son, a field mouse must seek the aid of a colony of rats, with whom she has a deeper link than she ever suspected.

Director: Don Bluth

Genre(s): Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Animation, Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 82 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

David Sterritt

The Secret of NIMH is exciting, engaging, and often magnificent to look at. Add it up, and you have what is probably the best cartoon since the bygone heyday of the Walt Disney studio. Read full review

100

Jeff Unger

Bluth and his animators, bless them, chose to revive an endangered art form — classically detailed animation. They drew their characters exquisitely and gave them individual personalities. The entire ensemble — artists, actors, animals, and musicians — created something unique: the world’s first enjoyable rat race. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

The Secret of NIMH is a richly animated and skillfully structured film created by former Disney animators Don Bluth, Gary Goldman and John Pomeroy. As craft, their first feature film is certainly an homage to the best of an age ago. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

This superbly animated (but weakly scripted) tale was produced by Don Bluth, who left Disney Studios when he became dissatisfied with the quality of their animated films in the 1970s, taking a dozen of Disney's best animators with him. The result is a return to the lush, finely detailed animation seen in the best Disney features. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The Secret of Nimh is an artistic success. It looks good, moves well, and delights our eyes. It is not quite such a success on the emotional level, however, because it has so many characters and involves them in so many different problems that there's nobody for the kids in the audience to strongly identify with. I guess you could say that the Disney tradition lives, but that the Disney magic still remains elusive. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

The Secret of NIMH folds a commentary on the evils of animal experimentation and a salute to the bravery of single moms into a smart, gripping action-adventure framework, becoming an underappreciated touchstone for sensitive Eighties kids. Read full review

Dave Kehr

The film is an impressive technical achievement: the full-figure animation is dimensional and elegant, the perspectives imaginative, and the color design superb. But without the (old) Disney genius for emotional structure and character design, the results are rather flat—the film concentrates on Disney horror and trauma without the relief of Disney charm. Read full review

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User Reviews

timone

Aug 22, 2018

I remember back years since I've watched The Secret of NIMH on Cartoon Network and remembered how evocative it is for a kids film. I think this is not one of Don Bluth's first animated films he ever made. The first one is got to be Banjo the Woodpile Cat which is kinda short considering it'sI remember back years since I've watched The Secret of NIMH on Cartoon Network and remembered how evocative it is for a kids film. I think this is not one of Don Bluth's first animated films he ever made. The first one is got to be Banjo the Woodpile Cat which is kinda short considering it's approximately 26 minutes. I love watching all of Don Bluth's films when I was a kid but this one is one of the darkest and surprisingly not a comedy. The tale of Mrs. Brisby is based on the children's novel called Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Well, wait, what? Frisby? Frisby?! Is that something that a dog would play with? Considering that a Frisbee is a disc that you throw with and the dog catches it? Oh, I get it now! The reason that the name Mrs. Frisby changed into Brisby because of the fact that the trademark concerns with Frisbee discs which is a dog's toy. Why didn't I think of this before? The characters are great. Mrs. Brisby is a timid widowed field mouse who wants to move her family out of the field but her son Timothy is feeling ill. Nicodemus is a great character. He's wise and mystical and knows her husband and knows the secret of the rats of NIMH. Jeremy who is here to help Brisby out. I think he's just here to make the kids laugh which is surprising considering he's comedic and voiced by Dom DeLuise. He's been in most in the animated stuff. The music by Jerry Goldsmith is phenomenal. Many of the people known him for composing other films such as Alien, Total Recall and Basic Instinct. The animation is phenomenal too. Not to mention they're not trying to copy animation from Disney but tried to make it look like Disney. The animators really wanted to create the animation look scary and dark for the kids to understand the content of the violence and creepy imagery. It took most risks that the animators really achieve. The Hunchback of Notre Dame did that too and mentioning the fact the kids enjoyed as a whole and remembering enjoying the gargoyles. In this one though like I said, Jeremy is here to make the kids laugh. There are no songs in this to say that it's not a musical or comedy. The Black Cauldron didn't have any and The Rescuers Down Under. The Secret of NIMH is not only one of Don Bluth's darkest animated films but some of his most underrated. Many fans of Bluth really enjoyed this, praising the beautiful animation, well written story and memorable characters. I really enjoyed every second and I could not flaw one single thing about it. It's just flawless.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

kyle20ellis

Mar 29, 2022

I will confess I saw this for the first time today on YouTube, and I loved it. I always said that Anastasia and American Tail were the best of Bluth's movies, but I now think that this beats them both.The story is very dark and mysterious but magical all the same. The animation is justI will confess I saw this for the first time today on YouTube, and I loved it. I always said that Anastasia and American Tail were the best of Bluth's movies, but I now think that this beats them both.The story is very dark and mysterious but magical all the same. The animation is just stunning, with beautiful backgrounds and excellent character animation. Brutus is a little frightening though, or his animation is, so is the scene with the great owl, which is inredibly haunting. The music by the wonderful late Jerry Goldsmith is phenomenal, very reminiscent of his score for the Eurpean version for Legend (the Ridley Scott film). The song I think it's called Flying Dreams is heart-rending, and just shows the talent the man had, and I am grateful that there weren't too many songs to interrupt the flow. The characters are very well done, the brave yet timid Mrs Brisby, the dashing Justin, the villainous Jenner, the wise Nicodemus and the wise-cracking Jeremy. Nicodemus and Jeremy are very impressive, voiced wonderfully by Derek Jacobi and Dom Deluise, and Jenner while not as sinister and frightening a villain as Hexxus, Chernabog or the Horned King, he is still very convincing. Oh, and the scenes with Mrs Brisby's children and Auntie Shrew brought some fun into a dark story, and didn't interfere too much, and Elizabeth Hartmann gives a sorrowful and poignant portrayal as Mrs Brisby. I haven't read the book in its entirety, but I do remember my year 6 primary school teacher reading the chapter when Mrs Brisby(or Frisby in the book) meets Brutus for the first time. All in all, a beautiful film, and I am sorry it has taken me so long to see it. I advice you to avoid the sequel though, it's awful. 10/10 Bethany Cox… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Gamzguy17

Aug 22, 2021

Despite some filler scenes and premature runtime, "The Secret of NIMH" challenges its target audience with questions and answers that ponder the correlation between nature, science, and magic (spirituality). The animation and voice work is also very strong and continues to serve as anDespite some filler scenes and premature runtime, "The Secret of NIMH" challenges its target audience with questions and answers that ponder the correlation between nature, science, and magic (spirituality). The animation and voice work is also very strong and continues to serve as an inspiration for animators worldwide. It remains Don Bluth's masterpiece.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SuperShrooms

Jul 1, 2020

Absolutely magical. Some of Don Bluth's finest work. Beautiful artwork. Animation. Music. Just stunning. Jeremy the crow is hilarious too.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Piussio

Feb 9, 2023

Il film più bello di Don Bluth, tematiche molto particolari affrontate nel migliore dei modi.
Nonostante sia abbastanza grottesco riesce ad essere ottimo sia per gli adulti che per i bambini.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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