Disclaimer: I received complimentary tickets to see this movie with my family. All opinions are my own.
Finding Dory is in theaters! Hooray! This is a review based on my family’s opinions of the movie. My kids are 7,7 and almost 5.
After 13 years of waiting, Finding Dory is FINALLY IN THEATERS. I can still watch Finding Nemo weekly and crack up–Ellen is the best! When I heard there was a sequel coming out, I couldn’t wait to share the experience with my girls. Don’t you feel like we’ve been counting down forever?!
Going into this movie, I was a bit hesitant. Yes, we were SO excited, but the past two movies we have seen in the theater were quite scary for kiddos (Good Dinosaur and Zootopia). I had my fingers crossed that Pixar would pull though with a genuinely funny and warm movie for all of us to enjoy.
Verdict: it was AMAZING. All three of the girls (aged 7,7 and almost 5) enjoyed the movie. We saw it in 3D and there weren’t any moments when anyone was scared. Any moments which caused us to jump were followed by FRIENDLY fish, there was only one squid in the beginning who was a bit mean.
Finding Dory has many themes which are great lessons for kids:
- Never give up
- Allow others to help you and don’t be afraid to ask for help
- Trust yourself
- Anyone can be family
In this new journey, we meet up with old friends and meet new ones too. The premise of the story is Dory remembering her parents, then going on a mission to find them. There are adorable flashbacks of Dory as a baby fish with her parents. Throughout the story, she has memories of her past, which leads her on the entire journey. Dory learns to trust herself and follow her instincts, no matter what.
While most of the movie is happy, there is a moment which tears might be shed (okay, I was BALLING)–but rest assured, there is a happy ending. I won’t say any more to spoil the movie!
I loved that Dory had plenty of time on the journey by herself, plus Marlin and Nemo met new friends on their own path. The new characters introduced were all great additions!
Common questions:
Is this movie okay for children under 5? Yes. There aren’t any overly scary characters or scenes. In the beginning there is about a 3 minute scene where Dory, Marlin and Nemo were chased by a squid, but it passes quickly.
Is it worth seeing in 3D? I know the movie will be amazing no matter what, but if you have the means for the added cost of 3D, it’s worth it. The scenery of the ocean alone was fantastic.
To see more about the movie, be sure to check out the Finding Dory website!
Have you seen Finding Dory yet? What did you think?
Yay! So glad you liked it too…and I SO feel you after The Good Dinosaur and Zootopia…We weren’t huge fans of those ones either! I totally want to go see this one again 😉
Lauren Weber recently posted…Finding Dory: Summer’s Must-See Family Film
thought it was charming, but not as good as Finding Nemo. I think that’s because the stakes weren’t as high in Finding Dory… In Nemo, Marlin’s absolute and almost life-or-death panic in finding his son pales in comparison to a fish who has been doing “fine” on her own saying, “I miss my parents.”
That said, and I’ll try to say this without spoilers, there was one part in the third act where I lost. My. Mind. Not Bing-Bong weeping, a but heart-swelled-eyes-turned-into-faucets moment. <3
And the short at the beginning was one of the best shorts I’ve EVER seen.
This is just an outstanding sequel that left me completely satisfied! Loved the story, loved the drama, and absolutely adored the animation. A little disappointed that the Tank Gang wasn’t in it, but it was sure great to see Marlin, Nemo and of course Dory, back on the big screen!! Unlike Cars 2 which suffered from the ineffective use of Mater being the lead character, this film worked with the supporting character Dory taking the lead role. I really enjoyed the emotional depth of her story(even though it might get a little much for the younger kids). The new characters involved were absolutely great, especially the octopus named Hank. This was a rare sequel which the humor felt just as rich and thoroughly funny as the original. Pixar continues to impress at all levels of filmmaking! Long story short, this was a movie that was well worth the wait!!