Le Monde de Dory

I think it was great to see Dory side and more about her life. It was creative and overall it was good.

I may be one of the few people out there that doesn't love Finding Nemo, it was ok but it didn't really do anything for me. So, going into Finding Dory I had no real expectations.

First and foremost, it is GORGEOUS. The colors are striking, the blue tones of the water are realistic at times mesmerizing and the movements of the various creatures are realistic and fluid.

Most importantly though is the story. Dory's journey is one of self discovery, of living with a disability and all of the hurdles that creates in your life. It's about the way it makes others look at you and how she overcomes that. Not with some miracle cure that instantly solves everything or erases the issue altogether in the end, but with honest to goodness character growth.

As an aside, I had avoided seeing this one until I had finally seen Finding Nemo and while I would recommend seeing Nemo, Finding Dory does stand alone as it's own film.

Back to the pond for Pixar, where we find things largely unchanged from the end of 2003's Finding Nemo. As the continually-forgetful blue tang Dory has a sudden enduring flash of her childhood, a rush of recall, she gathers the clownfish for one more globe-spanning adventure. The setup is a little soft, lingering too long in the shadow of the first film, but eventually we break free of that sentiment and forge a new (if similar) identity for the sequel. The closed-in landscape of an aquatic themed zoo/amusement park feels a bit claustrophobic at first glance, but as hijinx ensue and we learn more of Dory's early years, it all fleshes out nicely. No shortage of colorful new characters there, literally and figuratively, not the least of which is Ed O'Neill's escape artist "septipus" (having lost a tentacle in the touch tank), who treads dangerously close to becoming a deus ex machina with his versatility. O'Neill brings his usual disgruntled pessimism to the role, though, and some genuinely clever sight gags using the creature's natural assets go a long way to smoothing that over. He's overly convenient, but we're always glad to see him again. Witty and fast-paced, with a good mix of gags for the adults and their kids, plus a potent dose of the studio's famed poignancy. I laughed, I misted up, but I never quite fooled myself into thinking it was superior to the first.

Everyone's favourite forgetful fish, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), is back on the big screen a whopping 13 years after joining Marlin (Albert Brooks) on a quest to find his missing clownfish son. This time, however, Dory takes centre stage. Shifting the focus from Nemo to Dory for this belated follow-up is a no-brainer; it allows Pixar to concoct a new ocean-spanning adventure without feeling too repetitive, whilst cleverly bringing the broader plot full-circle by having the child now looking for the parents. Even with the huge gap between movies, there are still obstacles to be circumvented in order to avoid sequelitis. Most of these are handled with the intelligence and elegance we have come to expect from Pixar, though some hurdles prove to be too big. The story goes to very different places from both a narrative and location perspective, but the messages behind the film – don't judge a book by its cover, spontaneity can be liberating, you can do anything if you try hard enough, etc – are all too familiar. With glorious cutting-edge animation, a string of creative sequences and a barrel-full of laughs, there won't be a single audience member, regardless of age, that'll be bored; yet there's also a lack of truly memorable moments that stop this from being a classic like its predecessor. It goes without saying that Dory is the star of the show, although the range of hilarious supporting characters is impressive. Ed O'Neill's cantankerous, camouflaging octopus Hank and Ty Burrell's self-doubting beluga whale Bailey shine brightest. It might not be in the top echelon of Pixar outings, but Finding Dory is a charming, amusing and thoughtful family flick worth visiting the cinema for.

A regal blue tang embarks on a journey to find her parents.

'Finding Dory' is an enjoyable sequel with some memorable moments.

The plot is quite heartwarming as we follow Dory in search of her parents and it is this premise that carries a film with little else to say.

As nice as it is to see these characters again, I find it a stretch to stay interested for 97 minutes. There is more of an emphasis on action-oriented visuals than was the case in 'Finding Nemo' and it feels like some of the spectacle is there to pad the movie out. Also Marlin and Nemo seem mostly to be along for the ride this time.

That being said there are some standout moments, mostly involving Dory and her parents. There is one spectacular slow motion sequence that is very well done and makes good use of a popular song.

Visually, as with most Pixar movies it is very impressive. The character designs and underwater backdrops are as fabulous as the original.