Title – Finding Dory (2016)
Directors – Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane (WALL-E)
Cast – (voices of) Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Idris Elba, Dominic West
Plot – Forgetful fish Dory (DeGeneres) one day remembers that she’s been disconnected from her loving parents and sets out on a journey to discover what become of them leading to a great trek across the ocean full of potential new friends and dangers.
“I remember it like it was yesterday. Of course, I don’t really remember yesterday all that well”
Review by Eddie on 22/03/2017
If we look back just a few years ago, Pixar really still was the company that seemed to be able to do no wrong but in these last few years for whatever reason the Pixar brand has taken a little bit of a hit.
Sure there’s still the great original films like Inside Out but there’s also been miscued films like Brave, Monster’s University, the tiresome Good Dinosaur and now the long talked about and hyped Finding Dory.
2003’s Finding Nemo is a film fondly remembered by many, I know I for one still very much remember witnessing the film for the first time at the cinema and enjoy every minute of it, but taking a character that was fine as a support to the films leads and turning them into the figurehead of this return to the sea really brings down the chances Finding Dory had of being much more than a pretty animated adventure that leaves nothing of a lasting impression.
The forgetful fish Dory, once more voiced here by comedian Ellen DeGeneres, on a journey to find her parents that she’s somehow remembered doesn’t make for much of an engaging tale even with her quest taking her all the way to a sea life park where she meets colourful characters like Hank the octopus (stealing most of the films best scenes), Destiny the whale shark or Bailey the beluga whale.
Finding Nemo won audiences over with its great voice acting, memorable characters and simple yet effective central idea, Finding Dory feels tired as it tries to pay its respect’s to the original whilst paving its own path out through the open storytelling waters but as has sadly become the case with Pixar’s reliance now of bringing back past properties, this feels like a cash grab rather than a genuine attempt to create something fresh to wow audiences of all ages with. It’s a problem the animation power house never use to have but with expectations come great pressure’s Pixar currently aren’t living up to.
Finding Dory looks great (as do all Pixar films) and there are some inventive scenarios at play here but this sequel which has taken too long to come to surface fails to live up to the name we’ve come to expect from its classic forefather and with an annoying forgetful fish as our main point of contact, Finding Dory is more arduous for adults than we’d have liked and is one for the kiddies only.
2 learning on the job truck drivers out of 5
I also enjoyed “Finding Nemo” very much, so it’s disappointing to hear that the sequel doesn’t live up to Pixar’s standards.
Feels like a real cash grab this one!
E
Pretty much sums up my thoughts on the film.
Glad you agree mate, I found it very underwhelming for what it could’ve been.
E
We all know The Incredibles 2 will follow the same path.
Oh man fingers crossed it doesn’t!
E
Definitely true, but the scene with the truck and the Louis Armstrong song was one of the funniest thing’s I’ve ever seen.
Ageed that was a fairly nice moment! Just to bad those moments where a dime a dozen overall.
E
I thought it had a really nice message about those with disabilities and what they can contribute. I liked all the characters Dory meets and thought it had tremendous heart. But then I love Good Dinosaur so I guess I’m weird
You’re certainly not the only one that really liked this, it’s box office and Rotten Tomatoes score certainly attest to that 🙂
E
It had one redeeming moment, as far as I was concerned: “Hello, I’m Sigourney Weaver…” 😀
I have to admit I liked Finding Nemo because it was fresh. This just seemed like a studio trying to find a tent pole to make money because it is a built in audience. I will probably skip this one.
You’d be saving some valuable time and money.
E
That’s why I love your reviews!