So, I know I am a little late to this party, but I finally watched "Finding Dory," and it was just as glorious as I had expected. For me, Dory was hands-down my favorite character in the original "Finding Nemo," so I am shocked and kind of disappointed in myself for how long it took me to get on board and watch this sequel centered around my favorite character! BEWARE! SPOILERS!
The story starts off with the three main characters, living a happy life, united. Until Dory hops on Mr. Ray for a field trip to the sting ray migration, and is swept up and tossed down, hitting her head. Once you are reassured she is OK, Dory starts slowly gaining her memory back! She remembers her parents, and she wants to be with them again! That throws you into the main plot; Dory's adventure across the ocean to rediscover her family!
Throughout the entire story, Dory's flashbacks repeatedly come across the screen. These were my absolute favorite, because baby Dory was the cutest darn animated fish I ever did see. After persuading his dad, Nemo leads Marlin to follow Dory, and the three of them take on the whole ocean.
Dory arrives at the Jewel of Morro Bay, in California, led by her memories. She gets separated from Marlin and Nemo, when she is lifted up and brought into the Marine Life Institute's quarantine section. Marlin and Nemo fight to get in the institute, while Dory makes new friends, like Hank. Hank is an octopus trying to get sent off to Cleveland, who agrees to help Dory as long as she will give him the tag they put on her when she got placed into quarantine. Dory and Hank escape quarantine, and through a series of crazy navigating, they find one of Dory's childhood friends, a whale shark named Destiny. Destiny recognizes Dory by her whale talk, and gives her directions to the Open Ocean exhibit, where she says Dory grew up. Dory adventures there, with Hank by her side, arriving at her childhood home. However, she finds it empty. A sweet couple of snails inform her that all of the Blue Tang fish have been brought back to quarantine, to be transferred out to there own exhibit. Dory jumps in the pipes, scared and hoping to find her own way.
By this time, through a pair of sea lions, a crazy bird named Becky, and a pail, Nemo and Marlin finally got into the Institute. They pursue Dory, and find her swimming through the pipes trying to find her way back to Quarantine. She is assisted by Destiny, and a beluga whale named Bailey, who is using his echo location to guide them through.
All three of them arrive at quarantine, and with Hank's help, are placed into the tank with the Blue Tangs. Dory jumps on in, introducing herself to the other fish. Sadly, they inform her that her parents went after her when she got lost years ago; they think they went to quarantine and aren't sure what happened to them. Dory is devastated, and I won't lie, I shed a few tears at the thought of her parents being dead and gone.
Dory is scooped back out of the tank by Hank, leaving Marlin and Nemo to get loaded onto the truck. In the frenzy, Dory is dropped down a drain leading to the ocean. At this point, I was not only devastated about Dory's parents being gone, but was panicked for the fate of Marlin and Nemo! Dory spots tons of shells, and remembers when her mom and dad used to lay them out to help Dory find her way back home. Naturally, she follows the shells and sees a little home, surrounded by hundred of shell trails. Coming up to the house are Dory's parents, Jenny and Charles! YES! They're alive! To tug at the heart strings even more, they reveal that they waited all of these years, knowing Dory would find her way back to them.
The end of this movie was the craziest yet most satisfying ending I could have ever imagined. Dory hijacks the truck, accompanied by Destiny, Bailey, her parents, Becky and some helpful otters. Through some crazy endeavors, Dory and Hank are able to drive the truck right into the ocean, freeing all of the fish and reuniting Dory with her entire family in the process.
At the end of the movie, we see everyone, (Dory, Charles, Jenny, Nemo, Marlin, Destiny, Bailey and Hank), all back at the Great Barrier Reef. Dory couldn't be any happier, and she ends the movie by staring off at the edge of the drop off, admiring the view.
Well done, Disney Pixar. The wait was worth it, thank you for giving me an Ellen DeGeneres filled-film, tugging at my heart-strings, and making this twenty-one-year-old girl laugh and cry the entire time.
