The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue

Ah, the sequel. Sometimes eagerly anticipated, sometimes… a complete surprise you stumbled upon browsing the towering shelves of the local video store. The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue definitely falls into the latter category for many of us. Released straight-to-video in 1998, sixteen long years after Don Bluth’s dark, mesmerizing original haunted our dreams, this follow-up often feels less like a continuation and more like a distant, significantly brighter cousin who showed up unannounced. Finding this tape felt like discovering a hidden level in a beloved game, only to realize the graphics and gameplay had drastically changed.

### A Different Kind of Secret

Gone is the moody, perilous atmosphere that made the 1982 The Secret of NIMH such a standout, a film that truly didn't talk down to its young audience. Instead, Timmy to the Rescue, directed by Dick Sebast (a veteran of TV animation like Tiny Toon Adventures and Aladdin: The Series) and penned by Richard Tulloch, opts for a much lighter, more conventional Saturday morning cartoon vibe. The story picks up years later, focusing on Timothy Brisby, Jonathan and Mrs. Brisby's youngest son, now a teenager voiced by none other than Ralph Macchio (yes, The Karate Kid himself!). Timmy is destined for heroism, prophesied even, but feels overshadowed by his father's legend. His adventure kicks off when he learns that the mice of Thorn Valley are being captured and taken back to the sinister NIMH laboratory – the very place his father helped them escape. Teaming up with a city mouse named Jenny McBride (voiced by Hynden Walch, later known for Starfire in Teen Titans), Timmy must prove his courage.

It's a classic hero's journey setup, familiar and perhaps a bit too formulaic compared to the original's complex themes of survival, sacrifice, and the ethics of science. The sense of genuine danger that permeated Bluth’s film is largely replaced by musical numbers and slapstick, aiming squarely at a younger demographic than its predecessor ever did. This shift wasn't entirely unexpected for late-90s direct-to-video animated sequels, often produced with tighter budgets and timelines by different studios (in this case, MGM Animation, not Bluth's independent team).

### Voices Old and New

One of the immediate points of connection – and perhaps jarring difference – is the voice cast. We get the welcome return of Dom DeLuise as the lovably clumsy crow Jeremy, bringing his signature warmth and comedic timing. His presence feels like a comforting link back to the original. We also get Arthur Malet reprising his role as Mr. Ages. However, most of the original cast is absent. Mrs. Brisby (originally voiced by Elizabeth Hartman who tragically passed away in 1987) has a much smaller role here, voiced by Debi Mae West. The villainous Jenner is gone, replaced by his seemingly even more nefarious brother, Martin (voiced by Eric Idle of Monty Python fame!), who has taken over NIMH alongside the mad scientist Dr. Valentine (William H. Macy). While Eric Idle certainly brings his unique brand of manic energy, Martin the mouse feels more like a cartoon baddie than the genuinely intimidating Jenner.

Ralph Macchio as Timmy is… an interesting choice. His voice is instantly recognizable, but it sometimes feels slightly out of place for the young, adventurous mouse, lacking the vulnerability Wil Wheaton brought to Martin in the original film (confusingly, Timmy was the sick one in the first film, Martin the adventurous older brother - the sequel swaps their personalities and ages somewhat). The songs, while numerous, aren't particularly memorable, feeling more obligatory than integral, a far cry from the haunting score of the original by Jerry Goldsmith.

### That Late 90s DTV Animation Style

Visually, Timmy to the Rescue reflects its direct-to-video origins. The animation, while competent for its time and medium, lacks the rich detail, fluidity, and atmospheric lighting that made Don Bluth's work so distinctive. Bluth's films often had a handcrafted, almost painterly quality; this sequel feels cleaner, brighter, and more standardized, akin to the television animation Dick Sebast was known for. Character designs are simplified, and the backgrounds, while colorful, don't quite capture the same sense of a living, breathing, often dangerous world. It's not bad animation for a DTV release of the era, but comparing it to the original is like comparing a detailed oil painting to a Sunday comic strip – both have their place, but they offer vastly different experiences.

Retro Fun Fact: The original Secret of NIMH was itself an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The sequel, however, departs significantly from the book's own follow-up, Racso and the Rats of NIMH, crafting an entirely original (and arguably less sophisticated) plot. This was a common practice for animated sequels of the time, often prioritizing brand recognition over faithfulness to source material.

### Not Quite Magic, But Still a Memory

Watching The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue today feels like digging up a time capsule from the late 90s video rental boom. It represents an era when studios realized beloved properties could find a second life on VHS, even if the results varied wildly in quality. It lacks the depth, darkness, and artistry of its predecessor, sanding off the original's complex edges for a simpler, more kid-friendly adventure. For fans who grew up cherishing the Bluth classic, this sequel was likely a disappointment, a feeling perhaps familiar to anyone who rented a DTV sequel hoping to recapture that original cinematic magic.

Yet, there's a strange sort of nostalgia attached even to these lesser follow-ups. They were there, on the shelves, promising more adventures in worlds we loved. Sometimes, that promise was enough for a Friday night rental. It didn't live up to the legacy, not by a long shot, but it existed as part of that VHS tapestry.

Rating: 3/10

The score reflects the film's significant drop in quality from the original masterpiece. The animation is standard DTV fare, the story is generic, the musical numbers forgettable, and it fundamentally misunderstands the tone and themes that made the first film so special. The returning voice actors offer faint glimmers of the past, but it's not enough to salvage the project. It functions as a very basic children's adventure but fails utterly as a worthy successor to The Secret of NIMH.

Still, finding this tape back in the day was an event, even if the movie itself wasn't. It’s a curious footnote in animation history, a reminder that not all secrets are worth uncovering, but sometimes the search itself is part of the fun of browsing those video store aisles.