by PrincessKiara » September 10th, 2016, 8:58 pm
This is a spoiler-free review of the film I posted on my Kiara Facebook page:
I was finally able to see Finding Dory at the cinema today (it premiered in my country two weeks ago) and naturally I loved it. I even watched Finding Nemo last night to better be able to compare the two movies.
Which do I like better?
It`s difficult to pick, honestly. They both follow a road-trip formula, we`re introduced to a lot of different characters in both films, and they both have a nice blend of action, comedy and emotion. With that said, I personally feel Finding Nemo is more light-hearted and comedic whereas Finding Dory deals with heavier emotional issues and is overall more poignant. I really enjoyed Finding Dory, and it packed more of an emotional punch for me (it actually made me cry) while Finding Nemo always makes me laugh, so in that respect the impact the two films have on me are quite different, and I can`t pick one over the other, I enjoy both very much.
It was fun seeing some of the original characters again, but what I think was even nicer is the fact that Dory was truly allowed to shine in this, and the new characters we meet are mostly interesting and engaging. Marlin and Nemo obviously get lots of screentime, but Dory continues to be the star of the film, which is exactly how I want it.
Destiny the whale shark and Bailey the beluga whale didn`t make an impression on me - they were okay, but nothing more. I didn`t find either to be memorable or special. Hank the octopus was a great character, and his camouflage abilities are used in amazingly creative ways, often to a humerous effect. The sealions are a trio of funny characters, Gerald especially stands out as a comedic and strange fellow.
Overall, I find Dory`s struggle to retain her memories and her despair and frustration at constantly forgetting and not being able to recall very moving. Dory as a character I find to be both comedic and sweet. She`s kind and helpful, genuine and a truly strong character in her own right despite her original role as Marlins sidekick. I`m very happy to see her as the star in her own film, and learning about her past was fun and interesting.
The theme of ocean conversion, marine life preservation and pollution were addressed in the film but in a subtle way, without preaching. In several scenes, as Dory is swimming around the coast of California we see things like plastic, glass bottles and cans littering the ocean floor. However, the fish or other sea creatures make no comment on this - perhaps because generations of sea creatures have already lived with these conditions and are used to human garbage being part of their lives - but it`s enough to grab the viewers attention and raise awareness of the state of the world`s oceans and remind us that we need to take care of the planet`s bodies of water.