MOVIE REVIEW: Finding Dory

Finding Dory (2016)

Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Directed By: Andrew Stanton & Angus MacLane

Thirteen years ago someone you know found their new favorite animated film, that's because Pixar had just released Finding Nemo and it took the world by storm. So much so that in any other studio a sequel would have been on screen barely a year later. Not at Pixar Studios though, they have always put quality over quantity and they weren't going to make a sequel until they had the perfect story and team of people to do it. Fast forward over a decade later to a time where a part of the initial audience is now raising children who they will take to see FInding Dory, the long awaited follow up to one of the studios biggest films. 

Though it has been over a decade for us it has only been a year since the events of the first movie for our little band of fishes. Dory (Ellen Degeneres) has been hanging with Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence) ever since helping rescue the little guy and now she has become a part of the family. So when she finally remembers something about her parents and wants to travel to the coast of California they are right there with her to take the journey. With the help of some old friends they easily get to the other side of the ocean where they must infiltrate a marine life institute that Dory believes her parents to be living in. 

Even for a sequel, this movie had a lot to carry on its shoulders. Not only is this the follow up to one of Pixar's most popular films but it took an ancillary character and put them front and center. With the focus on the forgetful Dory I know I wasn't the only person a tad worrisome that her schtick would get old fast. Surprisingly it doesn't and it's because we see Dory grow a lot through this film, her character being a clear representation of special needs people made her journey from the beginning to end a treat to watch. Even though I didn't love how it got there I really enjoyed seeing where Dory started and where she finished in the story. The films important and easy to digest message is its biggest strength.

What drew me into the first film and kept me going back for rewatches were the plethora of side characters that populate the film. Great characters like Bruce the Shark, Crush, and Bubbles made that first movie so much fun to watch so I was pleased to see this new installment bring in some fresh characters. Hank the Octopus (Ed O'Neill) being the most notable, he spends a good chunk of the film right alongside Dory and is the source of the majority of the laughs in the entire flick. A lazy duo of sea lions (Idris Elba & Dominic West), a whale shark (Kaitlin Olson), and an underconfident Beluga whale (Ty Burrell) also populate the background of this film and each add their own specific charms. 

Despite all of these things they did right to ensure this wasn't a lazy cash-grab sequel, I still found myself having a difficult time fully engaging with the film. maybe its because it has been so long since the original and that I have so many memories with it that seeing this just once isn't nearly enough for it have to have the same emotional pull that the first one had. Even if this movie does have a more interesting plot the journey getting there in the first one was just a bit more fun I think. 

If that's my only complaint with this film I think that is OK, I may not have loved it but I know so many other people do. This movie is going to capture an entirely new generation of kids and teach them a truly important lesson, not to mention what this movie will show special needs children. It's an inspiring movie that tells them they can do anything if they set their minds to it and I think that is much more important than if it entertained me as much as the first one or not. 

Finding Dory just once again proves that Pixar is making these animated films as much for the older crowd as they are for the kids and wildly succeeding at it. It seems like they are starting to get a handle on how to follow up some of these huge movies and the success of this flick only builds my confidence for The Incredibles sequel we will eventually get. If you are a fan of the original get to the theater asap as it is sure to please you and anyone else looking for some solid family entertainment this weekend. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!