Bruce in Finding Nemo: This is the story of the villain

shark Bruce, who in “Finding Nemo” desperately tries to stop his carnal desires, is actually only a real movie villain to a limited extent.

Why Bruce in “Finding Nemo” is a fake villain

He is actually only a minor character, but one that is remembered by children and parents alike: in the 2003 animated film “Finding Nemo”, the great white shark named Bruce tries to be exactly what he is not – a vegetarian.

• After the little clown fish Nemo gets lost in the big wide world, his father Marlin and the tang doctor fish Dory, who he met along the way, go off in search of him. In doing so, they suddenly come across the dangerous-looking sharks Bruce, Hammer and Hart.

• Bruce, in particular, appears dangerous with his huge fangs and evil eye, so that the timid Marlin is reluctant to attend the meeting in a sunken submarine in the middle of an old minefield.

• But although Bruce seems frightening at first glance and appears to fulfill the classic role of the villain in the film, on closer inspection he is a profound character with humorous and emotional complexity.

• Because as it turns out, the three sharks have invited Marlin and Dory to a support group meeting: Bruce is the leader of this unusual group, which wants to follow the motto “fish are friends, not food”. In the group, they try to overcome their natural instincts and live as vegetarians.
• This only works to a limited extent, however, because Dory’s nose starts to bleed when a diving mask slams into her face, awakening Bruce’s bloodthirst. His two shark friends try to stop him from eating Marlin and Dory. They escape, but at the end of the movie they meet the now more peaceful sharks again.
• In the hunting scene, the villain Bruce becomes a tragic antihero who literally cannot always control his inner conflict.

Breaking down prejudices: This is Bruce’s significance for history

During the course of the film, Bruce is revealed not only as a humorous character, but also as a tragic one. In a pivotal scene, he reveals that his aversion to eating fish stems from a profound emotional experience: Bruce lost his own father in a violent incident before he could get to know him.

• • Although only briefly addressed, the scene suggests that Bruce’s vegetarian ideals are motivated by personal trauma. He is trying to break the cycle of violence that his species has historically followed.
• • Despite his good intentions, however, Bruce is overwhelmed by his instincts when he smells the scent of blood after Dorie is injured.
  • Bruce is the classic “false villain,” a character who initially appears as a threat but ultimately has different intentions. The humor he brings to the game with his self-help group and grotesquely comical attempts to go vegetarian lightens the film and makes for some of the funniest moments.
  • Pixar uses Bruce’s character and his group dynamics as a means to confront viewers with an important topic: prejudice. Sharks are often feared and portrayed in popular culture as dangerous predators – the classic stereotype of the “evil shark” is in circulation.
  • But in “Finding Nemo”, Bruce shows a different side of sharks and highlights the importance of animals in the ecosystem, which can be not only predators, but also complex creatures with emotions and specific intentions. Bruce and his friends remind viewers that things are not always what they seem.
  • Bruce plays a central role in the plot of the animated film, because it is through him and his chase that Marlin and Dorie learn an important piece of information about Nemo’s whereabouts.