Finding Dory: review

Director: Andrew Stanton
Running time: 97 minutes

Pixar produce another fine addition to their library

No film studio has had the consistent influx of quality content quite like Pixar, The Good Dinosaur might have been a bit of misstep. But on the whole, each of their animated features have something special that can't be replicated by other animation studios. Which is why their films are beloved by those of all ages.

Set one year after Finding Nemo. Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), an unrelentingly upbeat, blue fish with a short memory span suddenly gets flashbacks from her childhood, where she once had a family before losing them. She can only recall that they lived in the Morro Bay, so she sets out to find them with returning characters Marlin and Nemo. Their journey eventually leads them to an aquarium, where they meet and are helped by a grumpy, red octopus called Hank (Ed O'Neill).

Finding Dory is full of vivid colour, the visuals ooze off of the screen and it moulds well with the optimistic tone of the film. With that said, towards the end there are a few teary moments (it wouldn't be a Pixar film without one).

As we'd expect from Pixar, the wonderfully designed and charming characters are what's at the heart of the film. With its snappy dialogue, you can't help but root for all of the characters because while flawed they're all innocent enough in their goals to care about.

The final third of the film is far more action-centric than I expected, with a crazy escape plan involving a lorry bursting through a highway on the wrong side of the road. Which seemed a little out of place, but still very entertaining nevertheless.

Also, at the centre of Finding Dory is a positive message about family, belonging and never giving up on those you love. Dory's flashbacks to her childhood are a reminder of how we take our loved ones for granted until they are no longer with us.

What stops Finding Dory from being sublime is its rushed final act, and at times it can feel emotionally manipulative. And to be honest it is inferior to Finding Nemo. 

Verdict: 4/5