Review of Finding Dory (2016) by Maksim B — 18 Mar 2017

Colorful, funny and visually beautiful, Finding Dory is a most expected sequel to the all-time classic Finding Nemo, which simply delivers more of what made the original movie such a legendary animation. Loaded with family-friendly messages and exploring interesting social territories, the sequel lacks the originality and the moving power of its predecessor. It provides the feeling of "been there, seen that" and even if it is highly entertaining for kids, it will definitely be considered a lesser delivery by adults.

The story uses the same formula which was surrounding Nemo, but it also adds up a sort of complexity due to Dory's (Ellen DeGeneres) amnesia condition. Funny, fast-paced and filled with unexpected twists Andrew Stanton & Angus MacLane's cartoon is a sort of wild ride in search of Dory's parents, while it also develop an intriguing sub-plotline related to Nemo and Nemo's father parent-son relationship. Unfortunately, Pixar's delivery lacks the originality and the emotional grip which Finding Nemo had 13 years ago. It is all fun, it has some powerful moments, but the predictability makes it impossible to be fully absorbed by the story. Add-up also a second half of the story that seems even unrealistic from kids' perspectives and you will get a delivery which is pleasing for children, but not entirely interesting for adults. Several truly funny characters, such as the hilarious octopus, are capable of maintaining the overall high fun level, but still Finding Dory can never escape from the label "been there, seen that".

In conclusion, if you have kids, Finding Dory is a must have for your collection and it is always nice to see it with them. It may also be enjoyable if you watch it without having kids around, but then it will be just one of the many colorful and lively animations that have been made recently: it will entertain, but it will be forgotten after some time.