'Finding Nemo 3D' Receives Rave Reviews But Is The Film’s 3D Conversion Better?

When "Finding Nemo" was released in 2003, it became one of Pixar's biggest box office masterpieces but have directors Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich altered the film's magic with the sequel's 3D conversion?

Purist moviegoers might say, yes. The original movie -- which was nominated for best motion pictures by the Golden Globes in 2004, didn't require any ornamental bells and whistles and as far as we're concerned, neither does "Finding Nemo 3D."  For it was the simplicity of the story and subtle nuances of the vivid characters that viewers fell in love with all those years ago.

According to Rob Vaux from Mania.com, the film is "bright, it's beautiful and it hasn't aged a day. So why, then, do we need to see it in 3-D? No reason at all. The effects work just fine, but they don't alter the film a tad, acting only to give Disney an excuse for another cash grab. That taints an otherwise masterful production and reminds us that even with films this wonderful, profit still trumps everything."

Still, audiences won't be disappointed by "Finding Nemo 3D," take a look at some rave reviews below:

 "Think of this re-release as an encore, a handy touchstone for you and your kids. 'Finding Nemo' was and remains the gold standard against which all other modern animated films are measured, a classic from the day it premiered." - Roger Moore, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

" 'Finding Nemo' (2003), Pixar's best animated feature Oscar winner, is an ideal choice for a 3-D re-release. Its Pacific Ocean setting is majestic, immersive, not intrusive, in evoking the vast sweep of the water and bringing us into the world of the tiny fish characters. Digital and stop-motion animation give 3-D technicians more options and control in adapting the original material than live-action or hand-drawn animation. (That's why the highlight of the recent 3-D re-release of 'Beauty and the Beast' was the ballroom scene, one of the earliest uses of digital technology in a hand-drawn animated feature.) Here they are brilliantly used to evoke the story's emotional experience. As Marlin, the little clownfish (voice of Albert Brooks), looks for his young son, Nemo (Alexander Gould), we feel the bleakness of the ocean's overwhelming size and power. And when Nemo is captured, we experience the claustrophobia of the small aquarium." - Nell Minow, The Chicago Sun Times

"'Finding Nemo' will engross kids with its absorbing story, brightly drawn characters and lively action, and grown-ups will be equally entertained by the film's subtle humor and the sophistication of its visuals." - Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

"Like most Pixar films, this one was made with extraordinary heart and craft. Enhanced by its new 3-D conversion, every visual detail amazes in the gorgeous underwater world (though, frustratingly, the 3-D glasses also make the vivid colors darker). Viewers of every age will be touched by the themes, which are handled with typical Pixarian dexterity. Love and loyalty, fear and frustration - these aren't feelings limited to either children or adults. Like every great family classic, 'Finding Nemo' was made for everyone." - Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News