Finding Dory (2016) Film Review

When it comes to expanding upon the successes of their previous work, Pixar Animation Studios tends to be rather hit and miss – at least, outside of the universally-praised Toy Story trilogy. Once upon a time, the studio condemned the possibility of sequels as being only a one time deal (Toy Story 2 formerly intended to be a direct to video production before it got given a boost), and when Disney threatened to split from them their bargaining chips included making their own sequels to the likes of Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo. But then something strange happened, as Toy Story 3 first got the go-ahead – leading to a Best Picture nomination for what was intended as the final chapter – followed by the much-revered Cars 2 and, two years later, prequel production Monsters University. Cars 2 through to Monsters University were considered Pixar duds; a sign that the company wasn't as immortal as they once were known to be. Thankfully Inside Out rectified such comments that the studio was no longer the animation juggernaut, but with The Good Dinosaur being a failure and the likes of The Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4 and Cars 3 all in the pipeline, it does bring up concerns once again. Enter Finding Dory: the first in a new wave of sequels from the studio, it began life as early as 2010 and was given the official confirmation in 2013 on The Ellen Show (where a sequel had been promoted over and over again). With this being a sequel to one of Pixar's all-time greats, and being one which had to undergo late rewrites thanks to Blackfish, the film at least has practically everyone returning – from director Andrew Stanton to the majority of cast members and even composer Thomas Newman – the question surely remains: can Pixar make a Toy Story-level sequel for the beloved fish film? Or is this just another Cars 2? 

A year on following the events of the previous film and the clan are well-adjusted into their regular lives. Whilst Dory's (Ellen DeGeneres) predicament does create plenty of issues, Marlin (Albert Brooks) and company live with it because it's hardly her fault, and it does lend to some enjoyment. But following a moment of teaching assistance for Mr. Ray (Bob Peterson) and an accident involving the undercurrent of a manta ray, a sudden memory about the location of her long-lost parents comes to fruition; leaving Dory, and to an extent Nemo (now voiced by Hayden Rolence), determined to return to the Jewel of Morro Bay in California. And when Dory and the clownfish end up separated from one another, the forgetful blue tang must unite with a cantankerous septopus (Ed O'Neill) to find where her parents might be – meeting former "pipe pal" Destiny (Kaitlin Olson) and her beluga neighbour Bailey (Ty Burrell) along the way – whilst Nemo and Marlin figure their way back to Dory. 

Presenting itself with Memento-esque flashbacks throughout and opting to skip ahead to the Marine Life Institute as opposed to the journey there a la Finding Nemo (instead the journey consists of a trip via the California Currents with Crush (Andrew Stanton) and a quick face-off with a giant squid), Finding Dory is an interesting case because it is a perfect blend between re-using what was great about the original and fixing a few elements that could have been improved. For example, it still borrows the structure of our lead characters meeting certain species, but instead of being a one-time thing bar a last appearance before the credits it repeatedly cuts back to them and engages with them; the likes of Bailey, Destiny and more have recurring appearances and uses to the plot, which helps a lot with Dory and her struggling memory. But that said, the faster journey there means that a lot of the excitement from the first time around has been lost – we've done it once, so let's just rush into it. It makes sense from a running time standpoint, but it undermines the joyous journey from before. But these are more niggles than anything, as the main story based on Dory is a pretty solid one with key emotional punches, whereas Marlin and Nemo's ventures – whilst not as exciting – leads to some fun intervals. However, the third act issues are somewhat prevalent; it would be interesting to hear about what the original ending was supposed to be, as an extended set piece involving a vehicle does come somewhat out of nowhere, especially after a hard-hitting moment between Dory and some of the new characters. 

Speaking of the titular tang, Ellen DeGeneres breathes life into her beloved character once more, with plenty of comedy still going around despite her more grounded storyline and approach. With the short-term memory loss now being played out as more of a disability than anything (evident in how a younger, and overwhelmingly adorable, Dory is taught by her parents in flashbacks), she brings out a slight air (or water) of sadness to the times where she forgets something vital – especially when things get worse late in the game – but still presents her strong comedic chops as like before. Albert Brooks as Marlin seems to have returned to his neurotic self, albeit being a bit less resilient, but he quickly understands his mistakes and tries his hardest to make things right, whilst being teamed up with Royence's Nemo does mean we get plenty more of the father-son dynamic. Also, Royence is ideal recasting here as his voice is practically perfect for the role. And as for many of the returning key players, they all do just about as well as before: Stanton's Crush may look a tad off but he's got the voice spot on again; Peterson as Mr. Ray is as good as ever, and post-credits cameos are a delight. 

As for the new cast, the headliner is Ed O'Neill's grumpy and preferably seclusive septopus, and he's a perfect fit for the mostly optimistic and family-orientated protagonist; his transformative abilities lending themselves to big laughs and being great to look at from a technical standpoint. Olson as the partially blind whale shark Destiny introduces the home of the infamous whale talking and is an overall delightful character, with her bickering with her fellow whale Bailey being a strong comedic pairing. Sea Lions Idris Elba and Dominic West are more for comedic relief than anything – any moment involving those two and Gerald are massive crowd-pleasers – but marks another Disney slam-dunk for Elba (having appeared in both Zootropolis and The Jungle Book earlier this year); the recurring vocals of Sigourney Weaver on the tannoy speakers is always funny; the hidden voices of John Ratzenberger, Kate McKinnon, Bill Hader and former Nemo Alexander Gould are all fine stuff, and then there's Diane Keaton and Eugene Leavy as Jenny and Charlie – the McGuffins of the film, so to speak. In their performances come the most poignant and heart-wrenching moments and, as the glue that makes this movie what it is, deliver the best possible performances they could. There's also appearances from non-anthropomorphic characters such as a family of otters, Gerald the sea lion and Becky the ruffled loon, and each brings about their fair share of comedic glory akin to the seagulls from the first film.

On a technical standpoint, Dory doesn't exactly match the same heights and detailing as that of 2015's The Good Dinosaur or preceding short film Piper (quick verdict: adorable), but the ocean is still a wondrously beautiful looking place in which you'd want to sit back and enjoy the view of. The Marine Life Institute doesn't hold the same level of gorgeousness due to how drab some elements come across as, but it still lends to some inventive interior designs. The true crowning glory does come to play with the characters, though; with excellent HD updates to the original characters, some great-looking new characters, and Hank. Hank the septopus is something of a technical marvel, thanks largely to his elasticated movement and transformative abilities. His rich detailing and advancement mean that his every move is something to watch, and in turn makes for even more engaging viewing. And with some stunning direction given by director Stanton, it makes the whole venture excited and great to look at – even in 3D. 

Finding Dory may not reach the same heights as its 2003 predecessor, and may have a few flaws in its structuring of the final third, but what's to be had is still a firmly engaging and entertaining continuation to the instant-classic. Characters old and new are just as delightful and memorable as before; the animation is gorgeous, and it repeatedly amuses audiences old and new – a mostly unnecessary sequel proves itself not only to be worthwhile but also nearly mandatory viewing if you care about these characters. 9/10.