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Parents' Guide to

The Secret of NIMH

By Michael Scheinfeld, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Fascinating, but very dark with some creepy imagery.

Movie G 1982 83 minutes
The Secret of NIMH Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 8+

Based on 18 parent reviews

age 8+

A tragic adaptation of a wonderful book

A tragic adaptation of a wonderful book. There was no need for the movie to add magic, violence, and creepy animation. My children were excited to watch the movie after listening to the book, but we were all disappointed. My son kept saying "that wasn't in the book". I would not recommend

This title has:

Too much violence
2 people found this helpful.
age 10+
I was 6 when I saw this and had nightmares for years. Not saying its a bad movie, on the contrary, it's probably one of the best I've ever seen. My parents back then thought it was just a cartoon and never realized how dark it really was.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (18 ):
Kids say (29 ):

Conceived as a return to the lush, "old-fashioned" style of such Disney classics as Pinocchio, this animated movie is an impressive example of cartoon art. It features fully animated character motion and a three-dimensional look. The animation is rich and warm, filled with exquisite detail and color, which brings the dazzling, set pieces to life (including a duel during a lightning storm, and the finale involving the magic amulet).

The voice cast is also excellent, boasting such names as the distinguished British actor Derek Jacobi, veteran character actor John Carradine, the reliably comedic Dom DeLuise, and even a young Shannen Doherty as a mouse. However, parents should be strongly cautioned that the story's tone frequently careens from cheerfulness to grimness, which may frighten children. The Secret of NIMH does not shy away from being downright terrifying at times, most notably during a gruesome flashback showing animals being tortured.

Movie Details

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