Good movie, great laughs, but formulatic.

Rating: 7/10 (9 August 2003)

There is no doubt in my mind that Pixar is a great movie-making company. There is no doubt that it's newest installment is technically brilliant. There is no doubt that Dory represents one of the funniest characters in Pixar's very assorted collection. But there is some worry, on my part, that Pixar has been hammering home the same basic plot into us for the past eight years. In Toy Story, it's about Buzz being lost and meeting new friends. In the seccond Toy Story, It's about Woody being lost and meeting new friends. In A Bug's life, it's about Flick being lost and meeting new friends. In Monsters, Inc...well, you get the picture. All of them, all of them are good films. Very funny, and very enjoyable.
This film is no exception. Go whether you have kids or not. Rent the DVD whether you have kids or not. If you have kids, buy the DVD as a Christmas present. It will be a real treat. But I hope I am not the only person who will be relieved when there is a change of pace. Perhaps the Incredibles will be what I am looking for, and will convince me that Pixar's success is not merely due to the same basic plot.
7/10