Finding Nemo has to be one of those movies that’s been ingrained in the minds of children and adults world over. I still remember watching it in the cinema that was filled with more adults than children. The trailer had taken our excitement level very high and the by the end of the movie, the entire hall was more than just satisfied.

Marlin, Nemo’s father and Dory, the fish with the short-term memory loss, were amazing in the first part. We wholeheartedly embraced these characters that made the movie so enjoyable. There was an adventure, danger and tension as Nemo is held captive at the dentist’s office. Will he make it back to the sea? Will the father find his son? How much will Dory help given her poor memory?

The fact that every child wanted a Nemo after watching the movie is a testament to the power and influence the movie had on us all. There was a severe shortage of clownfish in the market as parents scrambled to buy ‘nemo’ for their children.

This is precisely why Finding Dory was a huge disappointment to me. I went in with super high expectations, expecting nothing but the best from Pixar, and came out all let down.

Basically, all we get is a rehash of the first part– right from how Dory is lost, how she is found through some help from her friends, and how she reconnects with her parents. They followed the same concept but changed the location (now they have to deal with an aquarium/ animal life rehabilitation center).

There are some moments which make for a fun watch- like the van chase at the end and the birds with the cockney accent– but on the whole, it’s somewhat of a bore. By the time Dory tells everyone for the 100th time that she has a short term memory loss, you feel like shouting at Dory: “Yes, we get it! You have short term memory loss!” The whole echoing thing from the beluga whale was such a drag I was close to falling asleep.

The themes are similar: love, loss and longing for a “family.” Nemo lost his mother and so it was all about father-son relationship. Dory is separated from her parents, so it’s all about a child reconnecting with her parents.

Finding Dory is such a dud, I wish she were still lost and not found. The film’s tagline says: “An unforgettable journey she probably won’t remember.” I would add to this tagline: “…neither will the audience remember.”

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