Like Finding Nemo, Finding Dory too appeals to people of all age-groups.
Movie: FINDING DORY
Director: Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane
Cast: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Hayden Rolence, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy
What's it about:
It was a while ago - 13 in human years, one in fish years - that we first saw the adorably forgetful blue tang Dory (DeGeneres) help clownfish Marlin (Brooks) find his lost son Nemo (formerly voiced by Alexander Gould; now by Rolence) that sees him keep swimming, with a little help from a surfer dude turtle and other assorted marine life. Only this time, it's Dory's turn to seek out the family she lost.
Except, if you know Dory, you'll remember that she doesn't (short-term memory loss and attention span). Which kinda makes it difficult to know who or what she's trying to find. But set out she does, and it keeps coming back to her -- how she got separated from her family and landed in the ocean.
By and by, she finds her way to the Marine Life Institute in Morro Bay, California, far, far away from her home in the Great Barrier Reef near Australia. There with a great deal of help from a cranky Ornery octopus called Hank (O'Neill), Destiny, a whale shark who turns out to be a childhood friend (Olson) and a Beluga whale (Burrell) called Bailey, she eventually ends up where her house was. Does she find what she came all that way to look for? Or is it too late?
What's hot:
The great thing about Finding Nemo was it appealed to all ages and that's something this sequel carries forward. Dory was one of the best things about Finding Nemo and it's a surprise that it took this long for the sequel to come alive on screens so late. Anyway, this one has its own charms, most notably in Dory and in a new character called Hank. As Hank, the 'Modern Family' patriarch O'Neill is a chronic worrier here and is quite possibly, this film's Marlin. The film relies on gags, but also on tapping into basic human emotions, and that goes a long way. The supporting cast has equally funny characters, voiced by Kaitlin Olson and another 'Modern Family' actor, Ty Burrell. Idris Elba and Dominic West as territorial sea lions are adorable, too.
What's not:
At three-odd minutes longer that the first Finding..., you can't not ask why. It's a rather simple question. While it may be Dory's film, this time around, it needn't be that slow-paced and convoluted (and overpopulated). After a while, the novelty of repetition (ironical, no?) wears off and you have to kinda ask why so many scenes needed to be loopy/ go around in circles. We get the flashbacks and don't mind it, but they do get irritating after a point. And yeah, we'd have liked to see Sigourney Weaver at some point!
What to do:
Dory definitely deserves a one-time viewing at least. It's been a while and we've missed her. Beyond that, well, that's up to you....
Rating: ***1/2
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Finding Dory")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}