'Finding Dory' Review

Image via screenrant.com

It's been thirteen years since Finding Nemo was released in theaters and became one of the most beloved animated films of all time. Even though I was only seven years old at the time, I remember the day I went to go see that movie. I was picked up early from school by my parents, along with my brother and cousin, and we headed off to the Muvico theater in Miami (now Cinemark). Why this particular memory has remained with me for the last thirteen years? I have no idea. Maybe because it was one of my earliest experiences in the theater, or the fact that I just had such a good time watching it, but even then I feel like I'm missing something. I think it had to do with the characters that were introduced in this film, along with the stunning animation. So many different characters with different personalities, and the way the setting sucked you into the film. You feel as if you're going on this adventure in the ocean, meeting all of these different characters and forming this bond along the way. It's a very hard balance to hit for most films, but Disney and Pixar hit the spot nearly every time. That's why, thirteen years later, I hoped they could do it again with a new story and new characters. Could they capture that magic once again?

Finding Dory centers around Dory's quest to find her parents, with the help of Marlin, Nemo and some new charming characters, whom she begins to remember. The film begins by taking us into Dory's past and we see her as a baby with her family. Very early on we see her parents explaining Dory's condition to her, trying to use different ways to help her remember certain things. We then see how they came to be separated, followed by Dory and Marlin's first meeting from the previous film, to present day. On her quest, Dory begins to remember bits and pieces of her past that help her figure out who her parents are, what they looked like and where they live. Unfortunately, as we see in the trailer, Dory gets taken, much like Nemo. Now, we have Marlin and Nemo trying to rescue Dory, while she is on her own journey to find her parents. Some of the characters we meet that aid Dory in the film are Bailey the beluga (Ty Burrell), Destiny the whale shark (Kaitlin Olson) and Hank the octopus (Ed O'Neil).

One of the things I was most worried about going into this film, as I mentioned above, was if this film would be able to capture that same fun, emotional, heartfelt vibe that Finding Nemo did. Many times, sequels that take thirteen years to develop and finally be released don't always live up to those expectations. However, Finding Dory definitely did. From the very beginning, you really cannot tell that it's been so long since the first film. Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks didn't miss a beat. It honestly felt as if they recorded this back in 2004 and just waited an extra twelve years to release the film. That charming humor was still there and didn't become to overwhelming, which meant that there was a great story to be told and they weren't just relying on laughs, and that was another worry going into this film. Was this story going to be the same thing all over again, just with Dory? The answer is a resounding NO. While there may be a couple of similar beats, Finding Dory can stand alone and brings a lot of new things to this story. Also, the new characters that we meet in the film, mainly Daisy, Bailey and Hank, are fantastic characters. Each has their heroic moments in the film, along with some great laughs. What else would you expect from the stars of Modern Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? My only gripe with this film is the Fast and the Furious moment towards the end of the third act. I understand its an animated film and we're in a world in which animals can talk, but this was just a little too out there for me. With that being said, it didn't take away from the film by any means, it was just one of those moments that you would've been fine had it been taken out.

Aside from the general plot of the film, there's also a very sobering narrative about having a disability. It's felt primarily in the beginning of the film, when Dory is a baby and when she's trying to find her parents. There's a line where she says, "But...what if I forget you?" We see Dory as this funny, well-meaning and forgetful character, that we sometimes forget that she's dealing with something that makes it very hard to make it out in the world. But, throughout the film, we see that Dory has the ability to not only be useful, after a certain character says she isn't able to do certain things, but be the one that can save the day. Again, this is Disney succeeding in bringing in very real adult themes, yet presenting them in such a way that kids can understand and showing that it is possible to overcome obstacles in life.

Once again, Disney and Pixar have hit their mark and have given us a worthy sequel in Finding Dory. They were able to capture the magic from the first film and present it to a new generation that I'm sure will fall in love with it. The new characters are a perfect fit in this world and the story is one that we can all appreciate in some way. If you have yet to see Finding Dory, I highly recommend it. My only advice to you is this: DO NOT see this movie around lunchtime on a weekend, unless you want kids yelling throughout the whole film. I understand the film is for kids, but my generation has been waiting for this movie for thirteen years, so we get a pass for feeling this way, right? Maybe I'm just getting old and bitter way too early.