Adventure awash with messages

In a movie which entertainingly identifies an ocean-sized amount of underlying messages, the biggest message in Finding Dory is revealed in the title itself.

While its popular predecessor followed the journey to physically find a young, lost Nemo, the sequel delves deeper into the blue to find out who Dory is as a person... or fish.

After living happily ever after with her new friends in Finding Nemo, Dory returns to the big screen a year later to embark on her own adventure.

However, in real time it is 13 years later and CGI has improved dramatically providing for a stunning animation which at times appears more like a David Attenborough documentary – until a talking fish metaphorically slaps you in the face.

Dory, who suffers from short-term memory loss – as viewers are reminded about numerous times throughout the film – starts having flashbacks about her family and is compelled to set out on the almost impossible journey across the ocean to find them.

Dory captivates the audience in her flashbacks as an adorable, wide-eyed, baby-talking blue tang fish who is being schooled in underwater life by her overly caring and patient parents, Jenny and Charlie.

The sequel was inevitable after Ellen DeGeneres made a splash as the voice of Dory in 2003 and the comedian again does not disappoint.

Cameos from chilled-out turtles Crush and Squirt and teacher Mr Ray brings back memories.

But an array of new characters, including a helpful seven-tentacled octopus named Hank, a friendly and near-sighted whale shark Destiny and a hilariously-insecure beluga whale called Bailey, are a welcome addition to the big screen.

Writer Andrew Stanton takes like a fish to water identifying an abundance of underlying messages throughout the film, including Dory unearthing her own identity and proving she can survive on her own no matter her ailments.

Yet ultimately the importance of family is at the forefront along with acceptance – namely that family extends beyond just biological relatives.

Co-directors Stanton and Angus MacLane were always onto a winner with Finding Dory and every parent should dive in and take the children to a screening.

movie review

Finding Dory

Rated: PG

Review: Kate Fielding

Rating: 8.5/10