Finding Dory (2016)

SYNOPSIS

“What is so great about plans? I never had a plan! Did I plan to lose my parents? No. Did I plan to find Marlin? No. Did you and I plan to meet? Well, I don’t think we did and that’s because the best things happen by chance because that’s life and that’s you being with me out in the ocean not safe in some stupid glass box.”

• – Dory 

CRITIQUE

Here’s what I wrote about this one in my original theatrical review:

Finding Dory (2016)

“I honestly can’t imagine a more perfect sequel than Finding Dory. Not to say it is as instantly classic or as inspirationally awe-inspiring as Finding Nemo, or to claim it should be immediately ranked within Pixar’s upper echelon of animated masterpieces. But, as a continuation of the adventure begun in its Academy Award-winning 2003 predecessor? As a thoughtful, emotionally chaste adventure that allows its central characters to evolve with authentic inspirational grace? On that front, this movie is nothing short of a miracle, returning writer/director Andrew Stanton (John Carter), his co-director Angus MacLane (Toy Story of Terror) and screenwriter Victoria Strouse (New Best Friend) delivering in a way that is as psychologically rapturous as it is thematically pure.

Picking up a year after a journey that took them from one end of the ocean to the other, clownfish Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks), his son Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and forgetful bright blue tang fish Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) have settled into a fairly relaxed existence. But things take a turn when Dory has a sudden flash out of nowhere, a jolt to her system that sends her into an excited state she can barely comprehend yet also fears she’s about to forget thanks to her chronic short-term memory loss. Much to Marlin and Nemo’s surprise, Dory has a family, parents (Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy) who she loves dearly and who she knows deep inside her very being love her back.

Somehow she lost them, and if not for running into Marlin 12 months prior it’s likely she’d still be wandering the ocean trying to figure out how to get home. Now she is compelled to continue her search, and with the help of her friends Dory is certain she’ll meet with success. And so the trio is off on a new adventure, following the undersea currents all the way to California and the Marine Life Institute (MLI), all in the hope of engineering a family reunion that’s been more years in the making than the one spearheading the quest can count, let alone sadly remember.

The glory of Finding Dory is that it takes a somewhat similar plot idea utilized in the first film (a long journey from one end of the ocean to the other in order to do the impossible) and uses it in an entirely different way. It broadens the ideas of friendship and family that were begun in Finding Nemo, cementing them in ways that are just as timeless and equally universal. More than that, though, the film, much like Disney’s Zootopia released just this past March, is a vibrant examination of diversity. It asks the viewer to not look at those different from themselves as individuals to be afraid of, but instead as potential friends worthy of embracing, something we could all use to be reminded of no matter our backgrounds, gender, ethnicity or age.

It is inside MLI where Stanton’s melodious sequel truly comes to life. This is here we meet a pair of lazy sea lions (Idris Elba, Dominic West) intent on making sure no other creature joins them on their favorite rock, a nearsighted whale shark (Kaitlin Olson) whose friendship with Dory goes back to when she was a newborn and jovial beluga whale (Ty Burrell) who stubbornly believes his echolocation skills are beyond repair. It is also where the story’s most dynamic new addition, a cranky octopus named Hank (Ed O’Neill) with only seven tentacles, enters the picture, his involvement in the proceedings an important ingredient that gives things an extra bit of dynamism.

But the heart and soul of all of this remains Dory, Marlin and Nemo, and while they spend a great deal of the running time separated, the idea that they’ve managed to manufacture a family out of their respective idiosyncrasies, unbreakable bonds that can never be shattered, is happily felt throughout the motion picture. Their ups and downs and the driving force fueling all the action, the way each learns from the other the real lesson Stanton and company are attempting to impart. It is this deft understanding of friendship that allows things to resonate on a deeply personal level, the purity of these central relationships as poignant as they come.

Finding Dory (2016)

It’s doubtful anything could have compared to the marvels Finding Nemo delivered, the simple, unadorned nature of the general setup of that film not exactly lending itself to massive character-driven evolutional changes that allowed Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 to surpass the original. But Finding Dory doesn’t need to go beyond what the first film did, doesn’t need to reinvent its own wheel. What Stanton does is to instead remain true to his characters, never belittling them, never undercutting their personal truths, and in doing so, crafts a portrait of family and togetherness so rewarding, it’s practically priceless. In other words, much like its titular character, it keeps swimming, and in doing so teaches all of us life lessons that we likely already knew yet still could use to revisit all the same.”

There are a number of little things that I honestly didn’t notice the first time around watching Finding Dory, all of which made me realize just how wonderful this movie is, how much Stanton and company focused on all the little things in order to make sure this story had life. The one that stands out the most is how the elliptical nature of the narrative mirrors Dory’s psychological state, that by having things progress the way they do the filmmakers put the viewer in the same damaged headspace this key character is constantly in. It’s a wonderful way to give children a view on mental illness that’s both accessible and unique, adding another layer to the film making it a tiny bit more extraordinary than I initially noticed way back in June.

THE VIDEO

Finding Dory is presented on a 50GB Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video with a 1.77:1 1080p transfer.

THE AUDIO

This Blu-ray features English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 & English DTS-HD HR 5.1 audio tracks along with English Dolby Digital 2.0 and French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 options and includes English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.

THE EXTRAS

Extras here include:

DISC ONE:
Director Andrew Stanton, Co-Director Angus MacLane and Producer Lindsey Collins – Great commentary track with Stanton and company covering virtually every aspect of the film’s production.

Piper (6:05) – Wonderful short film about a baby bird trying to work up the courage to leave the nest. Marine Life Interviews (2:04) – Fun little faux interviews with characters talking about Dory.

The Octopus That Nearly Broke Pixar (9:05) – Hank is apparently the most difficult character Pixar ever created. Who knew?

What Were We Talking About? (4:31) – How to build an entire story around a character who can’t remember what is happening one minutes to the next.

Casual Carpool (3:47) – Andrew Stanton drives around with members of his cast.

Animation & Acting (6:57) – How to deliver an animated film performance (more or less).

Deep in the Kelp (3:20) – A look at many of the real animals that inspired many of the characters who inhabit the film hosted by Disney Channel star Jenna Ortega.

Creature Features (3:02) – Key members of the cast talk about their various characters.

DISC TWO:
Behind the Scenes: Skating & Sketching with Jason Deamer (4:14)

Behind the Scenes: Dory’s Theme (4:57)

Behind the Scenes: Rough Day on the Reef (1:11)

Behind the Scenes: Finding Nemo As Told by Emoji (2:47)

Behind the Scenes: Fish Schticks (3:35)

Living Aquariums: Sea Grass (3:03:52)

Living Aquariums: Open Ocean (2:48:30)

Living Aquariums: Stingrays (2:48:42)

Living Aquariums: Swim to the Surface (1:02:20)

Deleted Scenes (50:15)

Sleep Swimming: United States Trailer (1:43)

Theatrical Payoff: Japan Trailer (2:09)

Can’t Remember: Spain Trailer (1:22)

Journey: Russia Trailer (2:31)

A Digital HD Copy of the film along with a DVD version are both included with this release. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Finding Dory is frankly wonderful, and while not the instant classic its predecessor was this Pixar sequel is still incredibly strong, continuing the story in ways that are engaging, smart and emotionally captivating. Disney’s Blu-ray presentation is exceptional, and as such comes highly recommended.