Dory
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A mixed review of Pixar's sequel to Finding Nemo, focusing on Dory's quest to find her parents. The review praises Ellen DeGeneres' voice performance, the emotional hooks and the happy ending, but criticizes the logic-defying action and the lack of memorable new characters.
Funny, poignant, and thought-provoking, Finding Dory delivers a beautifully animated adventure that adds another entertaining chapter to its predecessor's classic story. Dory (Ellen...
- (342)
- Andrew Stanton
- PG
- Kids & Family, Comedy, Adventure, Animation
- Rescue, rehabilitate, release.
- Verdict
By Max Nicholson
Updated: May 2, 2017 5:21 pm
Posted: Jun 16, 2016 12:14 am
It may have been 13 years since Disney and Pixar's Finding Nemo hit the big screen, but writer-director Andrew Stanton, co-director Angus MacLane and company haven't missed a beat with Finding Dory, which picks up just one year after the events of the first film. Only this time the focus has shifted to everybody's favorite blue fish, voiced by Ellen Degeneres, much to good effect. While Pixar's accumulating IPs have gotten a little "samey" in recent years, Finding Dory makes the most of its underwater setting and offers a heartwarming, if familiar sequel.
In the new film, Dory suddenly recalls memories from her childhood, back when she was living with her parents Jenny (Diane Keaton) and Charlie (Eugene Levy). Determined to find them, she and her friends Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Rolence) set out in search of Morro Bay, California, where Dory last remembers seeing her family. However, when they arrive, they realize that setting up a reunion may be trickier than they thought.
In the early going, Finding Dory follows a lot of the same story beats as Finding Nemo, and it feels somewhat repetitive as a result. Like the first film, the sequel opens with a tragic backstory and jumps ahead to the Great Barrier Reef, where our heroes set out on their next big adventure. Before you know it, they're catching waves with sea turtles again and dealing with predators a thousand times their size -- but instead of vegetarian sharks, they're going up against a mindless squid.
Did Finding Nemo really need a sequel? Probably not. But Finding Dory deftly manages to breathe new life into Pixar's most popular fish, while also introducing a school of lively newcomers as well. In the same way that Monsters University added more depth to its colorful characters, so too does Finding Dory -- perhaps even more so -- and it's a tes...
- Max Nicholson
Jun 15, 2016 · NYT Critic’s Pick. Directed by Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane. Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family. PG. 1h 37m. By A.O. Scott. June 15, 2016. In “Finding Nemo,” Pixar’s 2003 masterpiece, the...
- Andrew Stanton, Angus Maclane
Jun 10, 2016 · Review: ‘Finding Dory’ Is A Compelling Argument In Defense Of Sequels. Andrew Stanton returns to animation and a surprisingly satisfying addition to the "Finding Nemo" universe. By David...
Jun 10, 2016 · Film Review: ‘Finding Dory’. In the ravishing sequel to 'Finding Nemo,' Ellen DeGeneres' amnesiac tile fish learns to remember what life is all about. By Owen Gleiberman. Courtesy of...
Jun 10, 2016 · ‘Finding Dory’: Film Review. In the eagerly awaited sequel to the 2003 Pixar hit, forgetful Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) teams up with Nemo and Marlin to find her parents.
