Finding Dory

Despite Dory's status as a fan favourite amongst Pixar characters it is easy to assume that Finding Dory would simply be a recycled version of it's predecessor. After all, what more can be done with these characters? Nemo's been found and presumably they all lived happily ever after. This fun little sequel actually sheds some light on Dory's past, and the real mission is to find her parents whom she was separated from as a child and had previously forgotten. And it really is heartwarming to see the beloved and tragically forgetful protagonist remembering some of her most personal memories and rediscovering herself and where she came from.

Her search leads herself, Nemo and Marlin to the Marine Life Institute, an aquarium in California filled with a variety of colourful characters and where the PA system announcer just happens to be Sigourney Weaver. There she meets an octopus with seven tentacles named Hank (who she dubs a 'septopus') who reluctantly aids her in finding her parents. Hank is a fantastic character, despite his initially impatient and grumpy attitude. And he and Dory end up making for quite an endearing (if at first dysfunctional) on-screen duo by the end of the film. Ellen DeGeneres reprises the role of the title character and she's on top form, voicing our heroine with boundless enthusiasm to balance out Hank's often grouchy delivery.

The other characters, even the supporting ones, are equally wonderful. They include beluga whale Bailey and Dory's childhood friend Destiny, who is a whale shark. This leads to plenty of amusing and delightful whale-speak over the course of the film. Becky, a bird with jittery mannerisms and a crazily dishevelled appearance, also stands out. One of Finding Dory's greatest strengths is the variety of characters it has and how extremely memorable they are, even if they only receive a few minutes of screen time.

There are also some lovely heartfelt moments. Especially in the various flashbacks in which we see Dory's childhood. Baby Dory is utterly adorable and the scenes where she is playing with her parents will bring a smile to everyone's faces. The opening scenes of the film are especially emotional, where it's shown how she first got lost. It's completely heartbreaking to witness her desperate search for her parents as she slowly forgets that it's them she's searching for. Things aren't this solemn for long though, as there is plenty of fun and lightheartedness.



Finding Dory is yet another fantastic animation from Pixar, with a variety of interesting and memorable characters and a very emotional story. Definitely one to see in the cinema.