L'incredibile storia di Winter il delfino 2

"You can't just throw two dolphins in the water together."

And that's basically the only conflict driving the plot for this sequel. I was a huge fan of Charles Martin Smith's first film starring Winter, the dolphin with the prosthetic tail, but there isn't anything appealing about this sequel which barely has a plot. I felt that there was never really much at stake here and many of the emotional moments felt forced, unlike in the first film where there was a lot at stake. There were a lot of fillings and subplots that never did anything to help build the pacing, and despite remaining family friendly, most children will probably be bored by this sequel. I never got engaged with it and perhaps much of that had to do with the weak script and the lack of conflict. The characters which I really liked the first time around didn't do anything for me in this sequel and I didn't feel that same connection they had with Winter this time around. Dolphin Tale 2 has all the right ingredients for a direct to DVD movie, but somehow it has been released in the big screen and received some positive reviews from the critics (only 4% lower than Interstellar according to Rottentomatoes). It astonishes me considering this film is formulaic and predictable with very little going for it. A week from now everyone will forget about it.

The true star of the franchise is Winter, but in this sequel we really don't get to see the dolphin all that much. There really isn't much at stake either, and we know how everything is going to play out. The cast is back again, which means we get some cameos from Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Kris Kristofferson, but they aren't given any substantial role this time around. The film centers once again on the child actors, Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff, who deliver solid performances but don't add much to the story. From the first scene you can tell that the producers were simply trying to cash in after the success of the first film because there is not much going for it story wise. The true story is inspirational and the original film has touched many people's lives, but there wasn't any need for a sequel.

Though I don't remember the first time I got a hug nor do I recall the first time I ate ice cream, I do recall the first pet I head. It was a white fluffy cat named Cepe. I had to have been three or four when that animal first sat on my lap. Coincidentally, this was about the time when my family and I moved from Long Beach, CA to Murrieta, CA. I have to stop there as just having the animal is all I remember. He ran away at some point, but the memory of the animal is still fresh along with the other pet's I've had because of the connection I've made.

A lot of people think there's a telekinetic relationship between animals and the people that they love. I'm on that same wavelength as I believe that my two dogs have an understanding of my emotions, even though they don't have those same spirits. So I can understand why animal volunteers and even scientists claim that they have something with animals that people don't understand. It's something about our connection to other species that we as mankind can apply to our prejudices. This connection is examined with sea life in Dolphin Tale 2.

The original movie was about the tail-less dolphin named Winter who was rescued and given a prosthetic fin that gave back it's ability to swim.

Now the boy that rescued her, Sawyer (played by Nathan Gamble) is now in high school and is studying to be a marine biologist while continuing to volunteer at the marine hospital that's become a successful aquarium. Dr. Clay Haskett (played by Harry Connick, Jr.), his daughter Hazel (played by Cozi Zuehlsdorff) and the rest of the staff have been juggling around keeping a clean attraction while caring for the sea turtles, fish, and it's star, Winter.

Sawyer is offered a scholarship for a semester at sea program that could be great for him, but he's contemplating whether he can spend months away from the dolphin he loves. At the same time, another dolphin named Panama has passed away. This causes Winter to seemed distressed and even puts Sawyer in danger. Sawyer and Hazel are looking at a new dolphin named Mandy to be paired with Winter, but that fails when the animal heals and needs to be released. Dr. Clay Haskett does everything he can to hold off the government from transferring Winter to another park as they try and find another dolphin to be a suitable companion.

Without sounding like a party pooper, I'll say that the first Dolphin Tale was not a good movie to begin with. I found the material schmaltzy but at least harmless enough to recommended for kids who haven't seen the "boy and his animal" story. Dolphin Tale 2 is more or less the same. It is harmless and will probably eat up marine animal lovers and families looking for something educational and/or inspirational. But for a twenty-something guy like me, it's just overbearing.

Without critiquing the subject matter, my problem with the movie is that it's too long for it's own good. The first forty five minutes are spent with Winter, until the focus is suddenly shifted on Hazel and her healing a sea turtle. Once the turtle is back in the ocean, it's like the movie realized that there's a fin-less dolphin here and goes back to that. The focus is all over the place and much of the swimming shots of the animals go on for so long, you'd think that Sea World directed this thing.

I'll give this five prosthetic fins out of ten. Dolphin Tale 2 is only for the audience of this first movie. I doubt that Game of Throne fans or Marvel Superhero geeks are gonna get anything out of this, but it's harmless enough that I still say is a passable option for families searching for something more wholesome. If your that kind of person, then take this dive with the dolphins.

This is a great family movie. Written based on the real story is reflects on the true motto of Clearwater Marine Aquarium: "rescue, rehabilitate & release" The movie does not promote cruelty or keeping animals in captivity. If the dolphin or the turtle health bill is good and the animal is able to survive on its own then the crew release it back into the ocean. Harry Connick Jr. plays Dr Clay Haskett, and when asked if it was possible for Winter to survive on her own would he let her go. His answer: right this minute! As it is the animals that stay in the aquarium are either too seriously injured or with other medical reasons (dolphin Panama, that was keeping Winter company, was deaf and not able to echo-locate food and feed herself) The acting is good, story line simple enough for kids to follow and some moments you find yourself holding breath waiting for what is next. And after watching the movie you may want to visit real stars Winter & Hope in Clearwater, FL.

Just saw this with my movie theatre-working friend. We both enjoyed this true-life sequel about Winter's acting strangely especially after the death of a fellow dolphin early in the film. Since Hazel and Sawyer are a little older and practically young adults, there's a hint of a budding romance between them though the main focus is on Winter and another possible new playmate named Hope. All the cast from the previous one is back and Morgan Freeman's character is allowed to say some witty lines that my friend found funny while I was a little amused at them. Actor Charles Martin Smith is the writer/director and he appears as the guy telling the Harry Connick Jr. character he has 30 days to fix whatever violations he cited. In summary, Dolphin Tale 2 was pretty enjoyable for a true-life sequel.

Not as engrossing as it's prequel, nevertheless, a touching flick. The practical problems faced by the dolphins due to their complex emotional nature, the coming-of-age sensitivities of Hazel and Sawyer, the sangfroid Clay, the loyal supporters, the impatient Hordern make the environment a bit serious. In my opinion, the most impressive character is Clay who acts as a dutiful caretaker and a responsible father. He takes the right decisions regarding the animals, withstands the pressure from Hordern, calmly handles the kids and persuades George for an extension of Winter's stay. Freeman as Dr. McCarthy and grandpa Reed continue to provide the morale support. McCarthy's advice to Sawyer in a subtle way is lovable. I'm glad that the movie doesn't exhibit romantic or other melodrama, the emotional display is constrained. Overall, a somberly toned but commendable movie.