With a US opening weekend success of $71m, Finding Nemo became the biggest debut ever for an animated film, swimming past the likes of Shrek and previous record-holder Monsters, Inc.
It seems the Disney/ Pixar collaboration can do no wrong at the box office, churning out hit after hit, like Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc.
Their latest aquatic adventure is just as colourful and enjoyable, continuing their winning streak as well as pushing computer animation to new limits.
This deep-sea journey follows the exciting excursions that clown fish Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks, and his son Nemo separately find themselves on after Nemo gets lost in the Great Barrier Reef.
When a curious Nemo defies his over-protective father and swims out into open water, he's captured by a diver and dumped in a tiny fish tank in a Sydney dentist's office.
Nervous clownfish Marlin embarks on a dangerous and challenging trek to rescue his son, with the help of Dory, a blue tang with a serious short-term memory problem.
The odd pair encounter all manner of characters along the way, including Bruce ("a nice shark, not an eating machine") who, in an AA-style meeting, confesses, "It's been three weeks since my last fish."
All the while Nemo's getting to know his co-prisoners: Gill, a moorish idol who takes little Nemo under his fin; Deb a humbug damsel fish with an identity crisis; a bubble-obsessed yellow tang; a compulsive cleaning French shrimp; and a germophobic royal gramma.
Word reaches the aquarium inmates of Marlin and Dory's brave journey, and they too hatch a plan to help Nemo with his great escape.
Vibrant colours and minute attention to detail help create a magical underwater world of fantasy and wonder that will mesmerise kids and adults alike.
A moving tale of a father-son relationship, this lacks some of the humour of othe Pixar comedy pairings -Billy Crystal and John Goodman in Monsters, Inc; Tim Allen and Tom Hanks in Toy Story 2 - yet is nonetheless highly entertaining.
At 1hr 45m it's a little on the long side, particularly considering its mass appeal to young kids - whose concentration will certainly have dwindled at this point.
But don't let this put you off seeing this fin-tastic fishy tale - sea it!
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