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The Secret of NIMH
1982 83 min United States of America G 6+
★7.8
Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Director: Don Bluth
🎭 Based on
«Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH»
byRobert C. O'Brien
Trailers
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Description
A widowed field mouse must move her family -- including an ailing son -- to escape a farmer's plow. Aided by a crow and a pack of superintelligent, escaped lab rats, the brave mother struggles to transplant her home to firmer ground.
Budget:
$7M
US Gross:
$14.67M
Worldwide:
$14.67M
Starring
Elizabeth Hartman
Actor
Derek Jacobi
Actor
Dom DeLuise
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1983
— Best Animated Feature
Saturn Awards 1983
— Best Fantasy Film
Key opinion
Don Bluth’s The Secret of NIMH is widely regarded as a visually stunning, emotionally resonant masterpiece that distinguishes itself from contemporary Disney films through its dark, mature atmosphere. While a few viewers find the plot incoherent or poorly explained, the majority praise its complex character work and high-quality craftsmanship.
| Cinematography | The hand-drawn animation—featuring meticulous lighting, shadow effects, and painterly backgrounds—remains a pinnacle of traditional craft. | |
| Score | Jerry Goldsmith’s score is masterfully integrated, providing a hypnotic and dramatic atmosphere that elevates the film's stakes. | |
| Acting | Mrs. Brisby is a compelling and deeply relatable protagonist whose courage and devotion provide the emotional core of the story. | |
| Emotion | The film strikes a challenging tone, blending family-friendly adventure with mature themes of death, fear, and mortality that some find poignant and others find traumatizing. | |
| Screenplay | The integration of science fiction and fantasy is polarizing: some appreciate the mysterious, mature world-building, while others criticize the lack of internal logic regarding the rats' abilities. |