Finding Dory (2016) – Movie Review

Released as the sequel to the smash Pixar hit Finding Nemo (2003) Finding Dory proves itself as a worthy successor to the original film and stands out as a sweet and funny family film in its own right.

Taking place a year after the first film, Finding Dory features the titular blue tang Dory in her quest to find her real family. The only trouble is her infamous memory problems result in her having no clue where she came from or where her family went. However, she manages to make her way to a seaside aquarium with Marlon and Nemo not far behind her. With the help of a grumpy octopus named Hank and plenty of other new characters, Dory sets off to rediscover her past and be reunited with her parents.

The cleverest thing about Finding Dory is its pacing and alterations. When stripped down to the bare bones, the story sounds very similar to the first film with Dory trying to find her family and having to cross the aquarium with the assistance of quirky characters she meets along the way, similar to Marlon having to cross the ocean in the same way to save Nemo. In that sense, no change has been made to the formula of the first film. But what makes it something fresh and enjoyable is the difference in the details. While the first film established both the fun and danger of having to cross the ocean, the change of location to an aquarium this time makes for a more interesting experience. Aquariums are huge places and the story follows Dory as she travels from each exhibit to the next, from the huge tanks to rock-pools. And each exhibit comes with new characters, some of them recurring and some only there for quick laugh. The pacing is kept tight enough and just the right amount of time is spent in each location before moving along to the next.

The backstory given to Dory and her relationship with her parents and friends she had forgotten is also touching and Marlon and Nemo are shown to have their own problems trying to find Dory inside the aquarium, giving way to many of the films funniest moments. While Dory’s short term memory loss was treated more as a running gag in the original film, here it is shown in a more tragic and sympathetic sense as Dory berates herself for not being able to remember her own family. It is also shown via flashback that while Dory’s parents are nothing but supportive of her, they worry about how she’ll be able to cope on her own as she grows up, something that many parents will be able to relate to. It strikes a good balance of heart and laughs and again showcases Pixar’s talent for conveying emotional moments without breaking up the pace of the film.

The animation also proves to be just as good, if not better, than the original. Despite the change in setting, the animation team at Pixar always know how to take full advantage of every opportunity given to them. The aquarium is made to look both beautiful and fairly threatening, particularly when Dory is first put in quarantine. The beautiful bursts of colour shown in the large fish tanks reflect well against the darkly lit backgrounds of the surrounding areas. The character animation of Hank the octopus particularly stands out as well. Being an octopus, he uses to his many legs to transport himself and Dory around and his motion is fast and extremely fluid.

Ellen DeGeneres reprises her role as the loveable Dory and her energy and charm she lends to the character is infectious. Dory would be nowhere near as endearing in the hands of another actress. The rest of the original cast also appear to reprise their roles save for Hayden Rolence as Nemo and each of them do a good job. All new actors and actresses also strike the right tone for their characters.

Overall, Finding Dory is a funny and sweet successor to the original breakout Pixar hit, striking an excellent balance of heartfelt drama and funny scenarios with fresh new character and beautiful animation.