Review Roundup: Disney/Pixar's FINDING DORY Swims Into Theaters

Directed by Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo," "WALL•E"), co-directed by Angus MacLane ("Toy Story OF TERROR!"), and produced by Lindsey Collins (co-producer "WALL•E"), Disney•Pixar's FINDING DORY swims into theaters June 17, 2016.

The animated film welcomes back to the big screen everyone's favorite forgetful blue tang Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), who's living happily in the reef with Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) and Nemo (voice of Hayden Rolence). When Dory suddenly remembers that she has a family out there who may be looking for her, the trio takes off on a life-changing adventure across the ocean to California's prestigious Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium. In an effort to find her mom (voice of Diane Keaton) and dad (voice of Eugene Levy), Dory enlists the help of three of the MLI's most intriguing residents: Hank (voice of Ed O'Neill), a cantankerous octopus who frequently gives employees the slip; Bailey (voice of Ty Burrell), a beluga whale who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz; and Destiny (voice of Kaitlin Olson), a nearsighted whale shark. Deftly navigating the complex inner workings of the MLI, Dory and her friends discover the magic within their flaws, friendships and family.

Let's see what the critics have to say!

Chris Mashawaty, Entertainment Weekly: There's real emotion. You feel every ounce of Dory's panic and her parents' desperation-something that any mother or father who's taken their eyes off of their kid in a supermarket can identify with. Unfortunately, you also feel a sense of déjà vu. Dory's quest to be reunited with her parents is more or less the same exact fate that befell poor little clownfish Nemo the first time around. It's as if the movie has a case of short-term memory loss, too.

David Ehrlich, Indiewire: This is a movie about being lost in a world that's bigger than you can fathom, but - more importantly - it's a movie that invites people to share in what that feels like. The ocean is a vast and terrifying place, indifferent to the silly creatures who swim through it. But there are things out there in the deep that love you, things that can make the ocean feel a whole lot smaller, things that can make it feel like home. So long as you don't forget that, you'll probably be okay.

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: In other words, while rambunctious and passably humorous, this offspring isn't nearly as imaginative and nimble-minded as the forerunner that spawned it.

Owen Gleiberman, Variety: "Finding Dory," like "Finding Nemo" before it, invites you to dive in with your eyes, which is why these movies are submersive daydreams for children. But it's when the picture arrives at the Marine Life Institute, a theme-park conservatory ruled over with hilarious goddess-like force by the recorded voice of Sigourney Weaver on the loudspeaker, that the movie takes off as a swim-for-your-life slapstick adventure.

Brian Truitt, USA Today: Outside of Toy Story, Pixar hasn't found the right formula in its sequels to repeat the success of its original classics. Mark Finding Dory down as another that falls short of unforgettable.

Tim Grierson, Screen Daily: It's a pity that Marlin doesn't have as much of an arc as he did in the 2003 original, but that's because it's Dory's turn this time. And DeGeneres is up to the task, making her blue tang's inability to remember a rather deft metaphor for learning to appreciate the things and individuals that are truly unforgettable.

Peter Sciretta, SlashFilm: If you're looking for a reason to return to the multiplex since Captain America: Civil War, this is it. Finding Dory is a great sequel to a beloved classic in a Summer of sequels that have mostly disappointed.

Randolph Ramsay, Game Spot: But it's Dory herself who anchors the movie's emotional weight. While Marlin and Nemo are along for the ride, the true focus is on Dory and her struggles, and it's amazing the level of depth and nuance that's been layered into what was--in many ways--a one-joke character in the first film.

Image courtesy of Disney/Pixar

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