Finding Dory (2016)

Finding Dory

8/10

Starring the voice of

Ellen DeGeneres

Albert Brooks

Hayden Rolence

Ed O'Neill

Directed by Andrew Stanton

Right from the start, when I heard that Andrew Stanton would be back to direct and write this sequel to one of the best animations I’ve ever seen (Finding Nemo (2003)), I was hooked and impatiently waiting to see this movie.

Finding Dory is the long-awaited follow-up to Disney/Pixar’s 2003 computer-animated comedy-adventure, Finding Nemo. At the time of its release, Finding Nemo was number one on the list of highest-grossing animations of all time.

The magic of Finding Nemo lies in its memorable characters, who make up the adventure of a fish searching the entire ocean for his son. Each character had a unique perspective and twist, making the lead characters—Marlin, Dory, and Nemo—fit perfectly as we’re taken on a wonderful journey under the sea.

So, from the get-go, Disney had the characters with a perfect foundation for this sequel. This time, the focus is on Dory, as you could guess from the title, but her new family, Marlin and Nemo, are along for the ride.

Another great thing writer Andrew Stanton did was take Dory’s funny lines and songs (like Just Keep Swimming) from Finding Nemo and weave them into a story set a year after the first movie, highlighting Dory’s journey of remembering her past.

In this movie, we don’t see the sharks or Mike the seagull, but remember Crush the sea turtle and Mr. Ray? Well, they make cameos, as this movie is filled with new characters.

As a huge fan of Dory, I was worried about what would happen to her in this movie, so I didn’t prep—no reading up or watching previews. I went in with fresh eyes and was blown away as Dory went searching for her family. On her journey, she lost her new family, found them again, and lost them once more.

I bit my nails as I watched Dory’s adventure kick off with dreams and flashbacks of her as a child with her parents. Along the way, she meets a new friend: an octopus with seven legs, which she calls a “septopus.”

Finding Dory’s strong box office start puts it well on its way to competing for the title of highest-grossing animation this year. I don’t see Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) putting up much of a fight. However, Finding Dory has a Herculean task ahead, as Disney’s earlier release, Zootopia (2016), has already grossed over a billion dollars.

Now, you can probably tell from the way I’ve been gushing that this movie is fun and awesome to watch. So, don’t delay—head to the cinema with your kids to see this movie. I can guarantee you’ll want to pay it a second visit.