Worth the Ticket

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2016)

Historically, Pixar Animation Studios isn't known for its sequels. The Toy Story films aside, the California based production company has almost always found more critical success with an fresh, original idea than with second or third iterations. Films like Monsters University and Cars 2 feel as if they miss a certain spark that make their predecessors so iconic. While Finding Dory faces a few of these same problems, it is for the most part, a fun and enjoyable return to the reef.
Set one year after the events of Finding Nemo (2003), Finding Dory begins by telling the childhood tale of the titular blue tang and her parents, as well as their subsequent separation. Done in such a way that makes very clear that this is indeed Dory's story, the opening minutes are very reminiscent of Up: they set the emotional tone of the entire work. As the adventure to reunite Dory and her parents begins to unfold, flashbacks return the viewer to wide-eyed baby Dory and her childhood experiences. The flashbacks feel needed, and they rarely intrude or interrupt. They add an emotional backbone, one that explores feelings and sentiments that the first film did not.
Despite being released thirteen years after Finding Nemo, the characters in Finding Dory feel fresh as ever. All of the returning characters look and sound the same (even if, as it was in Nemo's case, the voice actor has changed) and they act and react the same as they would in any scene from the first film. Ellen DeGeneres reprises her role to a tee, as do all of the returning voices. It's an achievement that should not be overlooked; recreating characters to the near perfect degree that Pixar has done in this film is a feat for the sequel business. The fact that it was done more than a decade after the original is equally impressive.
While all the characters return in stunning form, I often found myself wondering if some needed to return at all. While I did enjoy their scenes, the sections featuring Mr. Ray or Crash felt a bit too much like a nostalgic merchandise move to be ignored. These scenes are sparse however, and I suspect it only feels like a problem because the new cast of characters shine so brightly. While Ed O'Neil's Hank and Kaitlin Olson's Destiny (an octopus and whale shark respectively) are standouts, every new creature the clown-fish/tang trio comes across adds their own degree of character and wit to the film.
This is where Finding Dory shines its brightest. When it's allowed to forge new ideas and a fresh story, the narrative soars and the jokes land. The "annoyed teenager" dynamic between Marlin and Nemo is particularly well done. But, while the film does have its fair share of emotional moments, there is a certain sentimental attachment that is missing. As I watched Finding Nemo I cared, deeply and truly, about whether or not the father and son were reunited. I anxiously awaited that moment when it would finally happen. As I watched Finding Dory, the only thing I found myself waiting for was the next joke. And, while they did indeed make me grin and chortle, hilarity can only carry Finding Dory so far. All too similar to Pixar's other sequels, that all important spark is missing. The lamp light doesn't shine quite as bright.
The animation work and sound design is top notch, and I was once again reminded why Pixar is the best in the business. The uncanny ability to add human-like emotion to the face of a clown-fish or octopus is still outstanding thirteen years later. The swirls of fish alongside new locales and marine life make Finding Dory a delightful underwater feast for the eyes.
Finding Dory is definitely worth the watch. In typical Pixar fashion, viewers of different ages will walk away with different favorite moments. It's funny, it's immersive, and, despite missing an emotional resonance of the first film, it's genuine. And, while five years from now it will more than likely still be the original that you pull down from the shelf, this sequel should not be missed.