DISCLAIMER: There are two versions of this review. If you have seen Finding Dory or don't mind spoilers, feel free to click here to go to the spoiler version. Otherwise, please continue to read this article. I do not consider anything that is previewed in the trailer to be a spoiler. If you have not seen the trailer for this movie, please go watch it so you don't feel as though I am spoiling anything for you.
For someone who didn't even like Finding Nemo that much, I have seen Finding Dory far too many times since it came out on June 17th. Some people would say seeing a movie three times in one week is a waste of money. As someone who eventually wants to work for Pixar, I call it research. This movie is obviously great as far as children's movies go, as almost every Pixar movie is (looking at you Cars 2.) However, in terms of Pixar's standards, this movie is good, but not one of its best.
Let's start by looking at the positives. One such positive is the animation. Finding Nemo really showcased the work that Pixar has put into developing its computer animation back in 2003. The water was a barrier for them at the time, but they definitely overcame this obstacle because Finding Nemo, and now Finding Dory, are arguably the best looking Pixar films ever made. The set designers, lighting experts, and rigging mechanics put so much work and effort into showcasing the beauty of the ocean, and it pays off in the final product.
Another big plus for this movie is Dory's character development. Though Ellen DeGeneres was good as Dory in the first film, she really stepped up her game in the second film. Personally, I was not crazy about Marlin as the main protagonist; he felt static to me, even at the end. Dory is definitely more relatable to the audience. She really grows as the main plot in this movie unfolds, and she learns new things about herself, including all of the strengths she forgot she possessed. Plus, the moments with young Dory really add to the story, because they don't feel like something extra information.
The supporting cast in this movie is a lot stronger than in the first one, too. First off, hats off to Ed O'Neill as Hank the Octopus. Compared to Dory's relationship with Marlin in the first movie, Hank is a lot more relaxed than the clown fish. He still has an alternative, end goal that he needs Dory to help him obtain, but, unlike Marlin, he won't manipulate her to get what he wants. Plus, he is fantastic comic relief. His jokes don't feel forced. They feel natural and fit in well with the rest of the movie. The two whales, Destiny and Bailey, may be featured in order to be used as plot devices, but they also fit in well with the rest of the characters we meet at the Marine Life Institute. Unfortunately, it felt like Pixar was trying to replace the sharks from the first film with these two whales. The banter and mood set by the two of them feel too similar to the fish meeting scene in the first movie. By far, the funniest supporting characters are the two sea lions that Marlin and Nemo meet. Every scene they were in made me hysterically laugh. They are there to serve one specific purpose, yet by the end of the movie I wish they had been featured more.
Now, here's where Finding Dory falls short. The biggest issue is that it feels like Finding Nemo rehashed so instead of Nemo lost, it's Dory. Of course, there are plenty of differences, but the stories are still too similar for comfort, and even some of the new characters feel like they're trying to replace characters from the first story. This isn't entirely bad, as it feels like a better version of the original like the story was meant to be told from Dory's point of view the entire time. Also, in Pixar's defense, they have a system that all their plots follow, and this movie is just staying aligned with that system. They just could have done a better job of coming up with newer ideas and characters.
This leads to another problem with the film in that it lacked the substance needed to transcend the family-friendly film genre. It's no secret Pixar is the leader in family films. Out of its 17 films, only two have failed to improve the genre as a whole: Cars 2 and The Good Dinosaur. Each of its films brings an important message and has an emotional touch that is unique to the studio. However, some of its films, specifically Inside Out, Toy Story, Toy Story 3 and Wall-E, bring a whole new level to children's movies. These films are not just great family films, they are great films in general because of the amount of content created for them. Finding Dory is not one of these movies. Sure, the message left behind is great, and this film is something truly meant for the whole family, but it does not transcend the entire genre. It gives you what you expect from a Pixar film.
On top of that issue, if Marlin was bad as a protagonist in the first one, he becomes worse in this film. Since it seems as though he and Dory switch roles in this movie, it would have been nice to see him act in a similar manner as Dory in that he tries to find solutions to their conflicts and works to solve the main conflict like she did in the first one. Instead, it feels as though Marlin is causing problems that are 100% unnecessary to the plot. Surprisingly, less Marlin would have made this movie a lot better.
Overall, this movie is worth about a B+. It is most definitely better than its predecessor, and it is a movie made for the entire family. It's worth the price of admission, and I would recommend buying it when it comes out on DVD. However, this movie could have been better, and it is not one of Pixar's top five films. There were few issues with this film, but they were substantial enough to take away from the entire enjoyment of the movie.
