I was talking with a friend before Finding Dory premiered, and they expressed concern over whether or not the Dory character would eventually become too overbearing over the course of a full-length sequel. After watching Pixar’s long in the making follow-up to the 2003 animated blockbuster, I’m happy to report it’s what makes this movie so enjoyable. There’s still plenty of sharp comedy, but underneath it is a genuinely thrilling mystery both kids and their parents can become invested in.
Dory certainly brought a lot of comic relief to the original Finding Nemo, but Ellen Degeneres arguably hasn’t gotten enough credit for being a generally well ranged actress, and she adds her inherent earnestness to the short term memory challenged blue tang. What she lacks in the ability to immediately recall information, she makes up for it with determination and instinct.
They prove to be extremely helpful as Marlin (Albert Brooks, as warm-hearted and neurotic as ever) and a slightly older and wiser Nemo (Hayden Rolance) accompany her on a quest to find her parents, who she suddenly vaguely remembers while assisting Mr. Ray during fish classes. She experiences flashbacks in numerous scenes when she comes across a vital clue, and the design of the younger Dory, with her absurdly massive eyes, almost feels like Pixar parodying their history of super-cute characters.
Luckily that’s countered by high-quality animation for her and the rest of the cast, on top of some impressive scenic shots and action scenes under the direction of Andrew Stanton, and many of them just might rival the first film. In other instances, Dory’s fears and sense of loneliness are often shown in slower scenes with long, wide shots, softer music, and a more muted color palette. Combined with the strength of Degeneres’s performance, it’s nigh impossible not to emphasize with her. When she regains her confidence, the colors become rich and the music picks up along with the pacing.
In fact, there are a number of Force Awakens-ish deliberate callbacks to the first Nemo film, including our plucky fish heroine getting trapped in an aquarium and much like her cute clownfish pal before, meeting a new ally who helps her escape.
This time it’s in the form of Hank, a cantankerous and scarred octopus voiced by Ed O’Neil who has an extreme dislike of being touched by humans, but may also be a bit kinder than he lets on. One scene inside a marine hospital confirms his fears,when children’s hands wading in a “touch pool” is portrayed by Stanton as the most terrifying thing in the world to the sea creatures inside.
The three main leads also get help from a few older friends, including a returning Crush the turtle, but also some new ones- including a near-sighted whale shark named Destiny, voiced by Kaitlin Olsen with an adorable mix of friendliness and physical comedy, and Modern Family star Ty Burrell’s Bailey, a beluga whale whose sonar abilities gradually become more crucial as the plot grows thicker.
Some of the film’s funniest moments come from Idris Elba and Dominic West- that’s right, Stringer Bell and McNulty themselves, for you Wire fans- as a pair of slacker sea lions who are fiercely protective of their sunning rock. In the tradition of the self-centered seagulls in Finding Nemo, Dory’s film provides us with Becky, a whacked out and nonverbal transporter bird who has some brilliant moments with Marlin- as does his son Nemo, who shows some emotional maturity as he brings his father back down to earth in more than one scene.
Still, Dory is both the major draw here as well as the soul of the story. Her adventure provides kids with a good lesson about finding alternative ways to persevere and solve problems, even if the story hits some familiar beats for Pixar. The cute creature on a journey formula isn’t new territory for them, but to be honest, for me simply stating I enjoyed it roughly as much as I did the 2003 film is high praise. No harm was done, nothing felt dumbed down, and Dory and company remain as charming as ever. Easily recommended.