Finding Dory: Movie Review

It’s been thirteen years since Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” arrived in theaters.  It was such a huge hit, that I am surprised it took so long for the sequel, “Finding Dory” to get off the ground.  It only took five years for “Cars” to get a follow-up.  Admittedly, I was never in love with “Finding Nemo”.  Don’t get me wrong, it is a good film and I can understand why so many love it, but for me, “The Incredibles”, “Wall-E”, “Toy Story 3” and “UP” are  among Pixar’s best.  So, how does “Finding Dory” compare to “Finding Nemo”?  It is inferior but not by much.

Set one year after the events in “Finding Nemo”, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) who still suffers from short-term memory loss, suddenly remembers her parents Charlie (Eugene Levy) and Jenny (Diane Keaton), whom she was separated from as baby.  Determined to find them, she sets off across the ocean in hopes to reunite with her family.  Of course her friends Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence) won’t get her go alone.

The journey takes them to the California coast, where they wind up outside of a marine life facility.  Just moments after they get there, Dory is scooped up and taken to the facility. Of course Marlin and Nemo must find a way in and save Dory.  As Dory’s friends are busy trying to save her, she is busy trying to find her parents. Thankfully she has the help of an octopus named Hank (Ed O’Neill), A near-sighted whale-shark named Destiny (Kaitlin Olson), and a beluga whale named Bailey (Ty Burrell).

“Finding Dory” is sweet, cute, and beautifully animated.  However it just isn’t a whole lot of fun.  For a sequel that took this long to make, it feels more like a retread of the first film.  Fans of “Finding Nemo” will still find plenty to enjoy, but they just might not enjoy it as much.

By: Marc Ferman