As "Finding Dory" hits theaters, many young adults have shared their excitement about going to see the Disney Pixar film. It seems as if some teenagers and twenty-something's are more excited than younger kids for this children’s movie. What about Disney Pixar’s latest film has all of them so captivated? It most likely is tied to the popularity of Disney Pixar’s first under the sea hit, "Finding Nemo" (2003). The generation of kids who were captivated by Crush, Dory, Nemo, and Marlin thirteen years ago, is now grown up and ready for the story to continue. Below are just a few reasons why Nemo and his friends resonated with us in 2003 and continue to spark our interest to this day.
1. Nemo is adorable.
Let us not underestimate the power of cute little animals. Children everywhere adored Nemo’s chubby cheeks and big eyes. His personality was genuine and friendly, making him that much more relatable to small children. In a way, he reminds me of Casper the Friendly Ghost (think about it, it makes sense). As we mature, we are anxious to see how Nemo has grown since the last film.
2. The humor is appealing to a widespread audience.
As a second grader, I had no idea who Ellen DeGeneres was--but I thought Dory was very funny. Older viewers can appreciate who voiced the characters, while young children tend to appreciate the characters themselves. Dory’s goofy songs and conversations with whales made almost everyone laugh. Silly mantras of “Shark Bait Hoo-Ha-Ha” stuck in children’s minds, and phrases like “he touched the butt” were funny for all ages. And, of course, the classic bubble arising from the sea to embarrass a bird; that indulged our potty humor simply by having the second bird say, “Nice.”
3. We learned about predator/prey interactions without any exposure to graphic content.
"Finding Nemo" was educational. The slogan “Fish are friends, not food” taught us that Bruce, Anchor, and Chum were fighting their instinct to eat fish. Disney Pixar showed us a fish skeleton lodged in Chum’s mouth and let us assume the rest. When Bruce smells Dory’s blood, he has a realistic reaction that includes just the right amount of intensity for young viewers. The seagulls’ frantic shouts of “Mine!” use humor to reveal their scavenger nature to jump at any chance for food. With the addition of new characters such as an octopus and sea otters, we are sure to learn more about the various types of sea life in "Finding Dory."
The success of Dory’s character as a silly sidekick led Disney Pixar to focus on her in the sequel. Many children, teenagers, and adults are looking forward to learning more about Dory’s family and life story. Hopefully, "Finding Dory" lives up to our expectations, especially because of the large amount of time we have waited to learn more.
