While not containing the most famous cartoon mouse, The Secret of NIMH nonetheless is a childhood classic about mice for kids from the 80s, launching the animation studio Don Bluth Productions to rival Disney. As such, the film takes a departure from the usual kid’s cartoon standards, taking less time in musical spectacle, and more time in stylistic art to express emotion, as well as take on a more complex plot about a mice family with more personal stakes. It’s what makes The Secret of NIMH an underrated classic that deserves a rewatch for those who have watched it in their childhood.
"Every character moves fluidly and imaginatively against an extravaganza of detailed background and dazzling effects, all emboldened by fascinating colored textures."
— Variety Staff
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.
