In case you've been living under a piece of coral the past couple months, you have undoubtedly heard about the much-anticipated premier of "Finding Dory." Sequel to the ever so loved "Finding Nemo," "Finding Dory" is out in theaters 13 years after the blockbuster hit. Like anyone my age, I was around 4 to 8 years old when "Finding Nemo" premiered, and I knew that I would not be the only young adult headed to the big screen near me this weekend. When I entered the theater for this Thursday's 7 p.m. showing of "Finding Dory," I was not disappointed. I saw a great mix of not only young children and teens like me but also groups of grown adults who were proudly clutching their paper stubs and popcorn bins. It was time for the movie we had all been waiting 13 years to see! And I must tell you, it was fin-tastic!
Note: This review will include no spoilers about the plot. It only contains commentaries to get you excited for the movie if you choose to go as well.
If you enjoyed the original movie, you are in luck. There was a notable yet fleeting resurgence of some of your favorite characters. Although the plot did not depend on characters like Mr. Ray and his herd of fellow migrating sting rays (or should I say sing rays?), I appreciated the nod to the beloved sea creatures. As our good friend Crush would say, "It was totally sick, dude!" But, the producers, directors and writers of the film did a great job of not relying on past favorites to earn our love for this movie. New characters such as Destiny, the near-sighted whale shark; Bailey, the self-diagnosed ill beluga whale; three lovable sea lions and Hank, the curmudgeon septopus, are just some of the characters that will capture your heart immediately with their quirks and dialogue.
Of course, we can't forget to discuss Dory! Throughout the movie, we see a major character development for her. Most obviously, she begins to overcome her short-term memory loss as she attempts to find her long lost parents. We see her "childhood" through a series of flashbacks - most of which will melt your heart. Seriously, my theater verbally interacted with all of her scenes. It was adorable. What was more important than her physical journey in search of her parents, though, was that viewers see Dory change as a fish as well. It's endearing to see not only Dory but others like Marlin, Hank and Nemo, come to realize and appreciate all of Dory's worth. For someone who has always been saying "I'm sorry" and "never mind" her whole life, Dory finds it difficult to see any value in herself. But through her adventures in the movie, Dory teaches all of us to look inside yourself and discover the better parts of you. It is heartwarming and self-empowering.
Of course, the humor is constant. With fewer one-liners than Pixar's usual films, "Finding Dory" relies mostly on satirical movements and different camera perspectives to add chuckles and laughs throughout the film. There is really no down moment in this movie, and I would highly suggest going to watch it soon. "Finding Nemo" is Pixar's second highest money maker (behind "Toy Story 3") and is only the tip of the iceberg for sequels of much-loved movies that Pixar plans to release within the following years. As Dory ends the film saying her movie is "unforgettable."
