Summary
Highlights
The video starts by highlighting how popular media often leads to impersonators trying to capitalize on success. It points out Pixar as a common target for rip-offs, with Finding Nemo being the most frequently copied film, even more so than Cars.
Finding Nemo, released in 2003, is described as a massive financial success, almost reaching a billion dollars worldwide. Its immense popularity and record-breaking DVD sales (the highest-selling DVD of all time) are presented as key reasons for the influx of imitators.
The video establishes criteria for identifying a Finding Nemo clone: sharing a similar storyline (finding a missing loved one or way home), featuring coral reefs and clownfish models, and mimicking the title and theme of Finding Nemo.
The video surprisingly includes DreamWorks' Shark Tale as a potential rip-off, attributing it to a historical rivalry between DreamWorks and Disney/Pixar. It details the origins of DreamWorks from Jeffrey Katzenberg's departure from Disney and subsequent 'stealing' of ideas, like 'Antz' from Pixar's 'A Bug's Life'.
The video reviews several direct rip-offs, including 'Izzie's Way Home' (made by The Asylum, known for 'mockbusters' and featuring numerous similarities to Finding Nemo), 'The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer', and 'The Reef' (also known as 'Shark Bait', which borrows extensively from Nemo's plot and even its ending as an intro).
Further rip-offs discussed include 'A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures' (criticized for unsettling nature scenes and an overt environmental message), 'Deep' (which combines elements of Finding Nemo and Wall-E), and 'Sea Level' (also known as 'Seafood' or 'Fishing Impossible', noted for its extreme visual and story similarities and environmental themes).
The video singles out 'Fish Tales' as the absolute worst rip-off due to its terrible animation, audio, dialogue, and lack of coherent story. It also points out factual inaccuracies in the educational claims of the film, particularly regarding marine biology.
The video briefly touches on other less direct 'influences,' such as 'Depo' (a mascot with visual similarities to Nemo), 'Happy Little Submarine' (a blend of Finding Nemo and Cars), and 'Kingdom Under the Sea' (a surprisingly older film, leading to a humorous accusation of Pixar stealing its idea). It also mentions a lawsuit against Pixar for alleged plagiarism of 'Pierrot the Clownfish' which Pixar ultimately won.
Four main reasons are given for the extensive plagiarism of Finding Nemo: 1) Simplicity of animating fish (they 'float' compared to complex human movements). 2) Ease of creating underwater settings (simple rocks and plants versus intricate environments). 3) Avoiding copyright laws by making slight alterations to the story. 4) The massive financial success of Finding Nemo, especially in video sales, making it a lucrative target for studios looking to make easy money from unsuspecting buyers.