Finding Dory (2016)

[Fancyarcher]

When creating a sequel to a classic, it's hard to make a follow-up that satisfies everyone. Finding Nemo was never one of my absolute favorite Pixar films (which is saying a lot considering how much I love Pixar films, but I digress), but it was still a charming and very good story about a father trying to find his son. So, when it was announced a sequel was going to be made, I remained hopeful, although a bit skeptical. Then, when I learned it would star Dory, Marlin's forgetful companion from the first film, I was especially worried since sequels and spinoffs starring comic relief characters don't tend to go over well, for example, Pixar's own Cars 2, a film I don't actually hate, but did not do well at the box office. Finding Dory proves to be a satisfying follow-up.

What makes Finding Dory work as a follow-up to Finding Nemo is that it adds an extra layer of dimension to the title character of Dory. Although Dory's short term memory loss was a funny quirk in Finding Nemo, in Finding Dory it becomes a real story element, and adds a depth to the character. In Finding Dory, Dory suddenly starts having memories of her parents and what she was like as a child, and decides, along with Marlin and Nemo to embark on a journey to a SeaWorld like location, in order to find her parents. Along the way, much like in the Finding Nemo, they encounter a bunch of quirky characters, including an octopus named Hank (voiced by Ed O'Neill, who does an exceptional job), and a pair of amusing and crazy sea otters (voiced by Idris Elba, who seems to be on a Disney voice roll of late, and Dominic Cooper), among others. These quirky characters, along with other aspects, add to the film's overall charm, and enjoyment.

Much of the film's heart and interesting character development comes not only from the relationship between Dory and her parents, but also Dory and the somewhat crusty octopus, Hank. Hank is basically Dory's buddy in the film, much like how Dory was for Marlin in Finding Nemo, except Hank is an octopus with a lot of attitude. Hank originally only aids Dory because she will be able to let him get to his planned destination, but once the two start to get to know each other a bit, they become real friends. There are also a lot quieter moments in the film, particularly scenes where Dory is by herself, trying to recall her own memories of her past, that I really appreciated and liked. Caitlyn Olson who plays Dory's younger self does a very good job in this role.

Despite some complaints about the film being too much like the first one, I found most of it was actually original. Aside from Crush, whose appearance is brief, and logical to the story itself, and the moonfish teacher (because every Pixar film needs to have John Ratzenberger somewhere in there), most of the supporting characters from Finding Nemo do not appear again. Much like the Toy Story sequels, most of the not so major characters do not up show again, in any particular major roles, instead opting to add in some new characters to the action. While some people may find it disappointing that characters like Bruce The Shark, are not in this sequel, I think this, along with the primarily out of sea location, makes the film stand-out on it's own, and makes it different enough to not feel like a complete retread.

The last scene is very chaotic and terrific with a slow-mo scene near the end played to Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. Marlon and Nemo, while still central to the plot, do feel a bit like an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. They certainly could have had more scenes together, but I can't say I'm overall disappointed. After all, this is Dory's film and story, through and through.

Thomas Newman's musical score is just as wonderful and great as the Finding Nemo's score, particularly during the more quiet moments, and unlike a lot of sequel scores, it doesn't recycle too many cues from the original, instead opting to do a lot more original music. Also, just a funny thing to recall, but weirdly enough, some of the music during the credits reminded me a bit of spy music.

In the end, Finding Dory is both a terrific follow-up to Finding Nemo, but also a very entertaining and enjoyable movie on it's own, with plenty of heart, and several themes and ideas you can get out of it. As far as Pixar's sequels centering around a comic-relief go, this is certainly better executed than Cars 2, and the animation in this film is lovely and as gorgeous as ever.

9/10

Edited July 6, 2016 by Daniel Dylan Davis

[JohnnY]

from the mediocre movies I've seen, this is probably the best

Enviado de meu XT1069 usando Tapatalk

[stripe]

My 6year old daughter loved it more than Nemo! 

 

Really solid sequel. Crazy climax. Gorgeous animation. Hank, best new character.

 

9/10

[Blankments]

This is a spoiler-filled list of intriguing observations of Finding Dory, not necessarily a structured review. My initial thoughts are still on the first page and are still mostly accurate to how I feel about the film.

 

Let's begin at the very beginning and the ending. Finding Dory utilizes bookends in a way that are probably much more subtle than intended. This viewer did not realize that it opens with Baby Dory failing at playing Hide and Seek with her family and ends with Dory succeeding in finding her family - in a game of Hide and Seek. The same shot structure is used too, at least at the beginning, but yet, considering the great journey Dory has gone on, it works entirely without feeling awkward or obnoxious.

 

Now, I'll go onto the two major issues I have with the film, neither of which were mentioned my previous review. The biggest problem the film has structurally is that Marlin and Nemo's plot has nothing to do with Dory. Everything Dory and Hank do actually moves forward the plot; Marlin and Nemo put the plot on pause every time they show up. This wouldn't be a huge issue with Marlin and Nemo had more complex character arcs. The only thing Marlin really learns over the course of the movie is that he should trust Dory more than he does. The sequences with Becky work towards a broader, better arc of learning that coddling those with disabilities should be avoided, as it sets those people (or fish) up for failure while also preventing Marlin to acknowledge Dory as a fish with her own wants and needs besides the basic "She needs to remember to stay safe."

 

A better arc could've been easily implemented if Nemo didn't keep on giving his dad control of the situation. Nemo clearly has a physical disability, and yet, not once in the movie is it acknowledged that both Nemo and Dory were captured after they wanted to stick it to Marlin after he refused to trust them to do simple tasks with their disabilities (Nemo - looking at the drop-off; Dory - trying to find help for Nemo's injury). The simple "What would Dory do?" message robs the audience of a more general pro-disability message, instead sticking with a mere mental disability side to it (which is still excellent, don't get me wrong, but when Nemo is still treated about the same by Marlin in this movie as in Finding Nemo, that's a problem anyway.)

 

How about Nemo coming up with unusual solutions to the problems he and Marlin face, rather than just guilt-tripping his dad the whole movie? Nemo's role is so small in importance despite his screentime in the film and this would've given the subplot more weight, especially considering Marlin's condescending attitude towards Dory clearly bothers Nemo and I'm sure his dad constantly talking about "the one time my son got lost and I had to travel the whole ocean, thanks a lot Nemo" probably annoys him every time because despite getting lost, Nemo accomplished a lot in Finding Nemo. He gained the trust and adoration of the Tank Gang, broke a filter, almost broke out everyone in the tank, and then outsmarted Darla and the dentist to escape on his own. Yet when he returns home, yeah, Marlin gives him a much longer leash but it's still a leash and Marlin's still overprotective. I think this point is long enough, but yeah, Marlin and Nemo's arc needed more punch to it; it should've been more about Nemo's disability.

 

The other issue I have with the film is minor compared to the previous qualm, but it's still an issue. Gerald, who has oddly become the Internet's favorite character in this movie, goes completely against the message of the film. This has been written on already by those much less verbose than I am, but it still must be mentioned. If a film is about empowering a character with a mental disability, having a side character that is meant to be merely laughed at is a grave misfire. Honestly, Gerald is what currently keeps this from an A rating, as my problems with the climax have evaporated after realizing the thematic intentions of it, and Hank's enigmatic past is now a delightful mystery rather than a disappointing nothingness. To subtract from the article I linked though, I'll admit I don't have much of an issue with Becky's role. I don't find her that funny, but I really don't think the film is mocking her much either. She is absolutely pivotal to the plot and quite loyal to her friends. She's a model character, if just a bit weird. Isn't that Dory too though? Gerald isn't; Gerald has an insulting look and is treated like dirt by the only characters that interact with him in the movie, and we're supposed to find said treatment funny. It just doesn't work at all.

 

Moving onto good stuff. These are all going to be scenes/moments in the third act that are notably excellent but can't be mentioned in typical reviews. The first of these moments is when Marlin and Nemo reunite with Dory in the pipe and Marlin gives Dory a pep talk. The pep talk is just alright; Albert Brooks does an excellent job delivering it, but the writing isn't totally there for me (probably due to my opinion on Marlin's "What would Dory do?" arc). However, this scene has given me goosebumps and almost driven me to tears all three times I've seen this movie. Why? Thomas Newman's score for Finding Dory completely avoids the iconic themes of the first film and goes for a more ethereal feel in general. He reprises his themes twice. When Dory sees the boat taking Nemo at the very beginning of the movie, the track from Finding Nemo plays from the same moment of sheer terror for Marlin. This is alright, but not particularly memorable.

However, the other time is during the monologue I was just talking about: Marlin mentions all the crazy accomplishments Dory has done within the movie itself, but then ends with "and finding my son." Newman brings back a subdued new yet delightfully old tune: the iconic Nemo theme, arguably Newman's greatest cue ever. After not hearing it for the first hour of Finding Dory, it brings rushing back memories of Finding Nemo. Marlin finding Nemo's broken egg. Marlin crossing the entire ocean to find his son. Fighting sharks, swimming through jellyfish, and surviving the mouths of a whale and a pelican. Nemo buried under the fishing net after saving so many lives. Marlin and Nemo hugging each other before school. And as this music bringing in the nostalgia the film otherwise ignores, we are right there with Dory. We recognize the gravity of what Marlin is saying: if Dory hadn't run into Marlin, Marlin would be alone and Nemo would be gone forever. Marlin telling Dory this is the greatest gift he could ever give, and it's an absolutely wonderful mixture of nostalgia, love, and deep empathy. Newman and Stanton nailed this otherwise cliche scene that, even with weak writing, for the only time, elevates Finding Dory by mentioning Finding Nemo. Really powerful.

 

However, it is not as powerful as the most intriguing directorial choice Stanton makes: this film includes probably the most first-person animation I've seen from any major animation studio. This adds a visceral effect throughout that makes us feel even more with Dory. The beginning when we see her lose her parents from her view is utterly terrifying, and following her view as she falls into the Open Ocean exhibit is also exquisite. Neither of these are as powerful and visceral as the moment when Dory believes her parents are dead. Everything becomes blurry and unfocused and the camera darts back and forth between the blue tangs and the clownfish as Dory tries to process the entire journey was in vain. Then Hank takes her out and we get lost entirely again with her, falling out of Quarantine into the ocean. The scene is utterly despairing without a hint of levity and might stand as one of Pixar's most emotional sequences. Uniquely so too, because although they've made us cry again and again, I've never felt terrified and lost at the movies quite like this before. Stanton returns to the first-person view aspect once more, when Dory finally finds her parents. They are illuminated in her eyes and Dory's relief is ours. When Dory's parents rush to hug her, we finally leave her viewpoint to see her face. She is beaming, literally. Dory is animated as a source of light and the only thing in focus is her face. It's incredibly emotional, and overshadows the more memorable (but still powerful) image of shells leading to a pipe. By utilizing the first-person perspective, Stanton brings new levels of empathy to animation.

 

Now, let's talk about the controversial climax. Dory helps Hank drive a truck to free everyone on their way to Cleveland. It's outlandish, silly, and doesn't jive with the more realistic world set-up. Yet, it works because it perfectly completes Hank's character arc. He needs to learn to trust other people, and Dory is his closest friend. Despite how ludicrous it may be, the scene works because even though we're with Dory, we're also with Hank. When guns are pointed at Hank and they look faced with certain death, does he trust Dory? Yes, and they succeed at their task. This climax is needed for Hank, who serves as the sequel's best new character, simply because how well-rounded he is. I will probably have to defend the scene until the end of time, but it works incredibly well and I'll stick by that.

 

Time for a dissection of a key difference between Dory and Marlin. I know, I know, they're both clearly different characters but I want to point out something that intrigues me. At the end of Finding Nemo, the only family Marlin has made is Dory. Yeah, he still friends with the turtles, but he only sees them every so often and he's happy with just Nemo and Dory. By the end of Finding Dory, every character Dory has interacted with extensively over the course of the film has become a part of her family. Her parents, Hank, Destiny, and Bailey... all have joined Marlin and Nemo and live in the same area now. There's not really a point to this paragraph except that I thought that aspect was really well-done, especially in showing how this is a very different movie. Dory is a magnetic, much more lovable character than Marlin, and it's a credit to her that even with her disability, she is so upbeat that everyone who meets her wants to spend the rest of their life with her in it.

 

Finally, the last two shots of this film are perfection. The score, the direction, the cinematography, the script, all of it comes together to give you a smile at the end of the movie. It's taken two movies for Dory and Marlin to find Dory's parents and Nemo, but they've found something else: peace. The introspective looking off into the drop-off is really low-key for an animated movie, but it's what these two characters have earned for themselves and their family. It's one of so many other things that makes Finding Dory absolutely unforgettable and another Pixar classic.

 

(Also, Bill Hader and Kate McKinnon have significantly bigger roles in The Angry Birds Movie, and yet they make more of an impression here with only a minute of screentime. Just an amusing observation.)

Edited August 9, 2016 by Blankments

[Dementeleus]

4 minutes ago, Blankments said:

It's one of so many other things that makes Finding Dory absolutely unforgettable

 

...I'm not sure I remember anything about it.  

[cannastop]

Just now, Tele the Jet Baller said:

 

...I'm not sure I remember anything about it.  

I have to second this motion. I rated Finding Dory an A, which I think is fair, but I can't really viscerally remember how it made me feel like I can for Zootopia or The Jungle Book.

[Blankments]

1 hour ago, Tele the Jet Baller said:

 

...I'm not sure I remember anything about it.  

Tbf, I wrote that review after seeing it for a third time so naturally I'm gonna remember more than a one-watcher

 

59 minutes ago, cannastop said:

I have to second this motion. I rated Finding Dory an A, which I think is fair, but I can't really viscerally remember how it made me feel like I can for Zootopia or The Jungle Book.

I mean those are both better movies so I can't blame you there haha

[ddddeeee]

C+/B-

 

It's too sequel-y for me. Remember the funny whale joke from Nemo? Let's do it again 30 times!

 

Hank's fab and I love the message but the plot's so convenient and it all seemed so light. I'm very disappointed.

[Morieris]

First things first; I hate Finding Nemo. 

 

I can't put my finger on what it is, and technically it is a sound film, but it never got to me like it got to so many other people. I watched it maybe the week before Dory came out and still had a hard time caring.

 

And yet...I loved Finding Dory.

 

Adored it. 

 

It is probably my favorite Pixar movie. Up there. Floating around with Ratatouille and The Incredibles, surely. 

 

It does hit you with that typical Pixar setup - something cute at the beginning, something sad, a journey, some emotional climax (Where I cried), big finale.

 

But having the story be about Dory and her mental struggle got to me. Her figuring out the world in her own way, and dealing with other marine life with their shortcomings (physical and mental), that got to me a lot stronger. The score is soothing, the Marine Life visuals are very cool,  the new characters are cool (Though yeah, I don't know why they treat Gerald and Becky like crap and go against the message of the film). The journey was just a bonus. You know she's going to find her parents.

 

Is there sequelitis? Sure, but again, I never thought of FN with such high regard to the point where nothing could top it. Lots of people find the ending a little too neat and can't suspend disbelief far enough to accept it - fair enough, but I just got finished watching a movie about talking fish so it didn't bother me.

 

 

[AniNate]

On 8/29/2016 at 6:58 PM, ddddeeee said:

C+/B-

 

It's too sequel-y for me. Remember the funny whale joke from Nemo? Let's do it again 30 times!

 

Something I really appreciated about this film is that it put new perspectives on elements in the first film that initially came off as mere jokes. The whalespeak isn't really a joke in this film, it's a utility. Both Dory and Destiny use it to project their voice.

 

I'm really considering bumping this up to an A. Like all Andrew Stanton's films I'm finding more to love on every viewing. Glad Blank has the in-depth analysis covered since I'd probably come off as a disorganized mess if I tried something like that.

[ShouldIBeHere]

Had it just been about Dory, the octupus and the two whales, it would have been a much better movie.

 

Still fun. Piper was  A material, though

 

B

Edited October 4, 2016 by ShouldIBeHere

[cannastop]

Changed my vote to a B. This movie just didn't stay with me like great movies do.

[Goffe]

Still not good. Closest to a narrative mess Pixar has ever produced. Feels like it's trying to be a collection of hyperactive sequences rather than a tight and coherent story. Characters facing and/or overcoming their fears every fucking 10 minutes is annoying. Excessive amount of flashbacks actually detracts from Dory journey. Could have done without that by-the-numbers climax. Nemo and Malin's sidequest is pointless. "It's all about family" sequel trope is the most roll eye worth trend. 55/100

Edited November 29, 2016 by Goffe

[MrFanaticGuy34]

A+

 

Just saw it.....and i really loved it unsurprisngly.  

 

Pretty much one of the best animated films along with KFP3, Pets & Zootopia.

[miketheavenger]

I grew up with Finding Nemo. It was one of the very first films I ever watched and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Which is why I was quite anxious about this sequel, but thankfully it worked. The characters are once again excellent, Dory gets developed nicely and Marlin and Nemo provide some comic relief. Hank the octopus was hilarious and a very strong addition and I really liked how the movie changed to almost like a spy thriller in the second half. The two whales were also fairly enjoyable. Overall it doesn't tug your heartstrings as much as some other Pixar films and it's not as funny as Ratatouille or Up, but it's certainly a worthy sequel to Finding Nemo and one of the best animated films this year.

 

Grade: B+

[Lordmandeep]

Very poor pixar effort

 

C+

 

 

[FantasticBeasts]

To begin with, Finding Nemo is definetely one of my favourite animations of all time. I have probably watched it over 10 times and I can still do it with immense pleasure. By the time I heard about this coming out I was really excited.

I was trying to figure out what it could be about before watching it and when the time came I was bitterly disapointed. First of all, It's about 10 months since I watched this and I have a big trouble remembering the specifics about it. It was really forgettable for me. I do really remember though the sense of disapointment that I felt by the time it ended. I wasn't expecting a "finding" travel (the title is indicating it so that's mainly my fault). I found the story to be really sticking to Nemo without it working in the same way. Not as charming, not as intense, not as emotionally impacting and most importantly not creating it's own path. I also had some problems with the "lessons" that the story was trying to tell. As I said, the way that Dory is searching for her parents wasn't nearly as emotionally impacting to me as the way that Marlin is trying to find Nemo, combined with the loss of his mother which makes the story a true lesson about the importance of family . I also don't really get the messages about disabled people that it is supposed to be trying to serve. I didn't really notice while watching it.

All in all, it is your normal Pixar movie that tries to be more serious than it should be, getting didactic and philosophical when there is no real need to. Either don't try so profoundly to be "serious" or make it actually in the right way like you did with Inside Out.

The visuals are amazing though!  

C

Edited September 7, 2017 by FantasticBeasts