Dolphin Tale 2 is an inspiring movie that the whole family can enjoy. The sequel pulls at your heartstrings and is a great continuation to the first movie. There is such a huge difference between the two films, and I am thoroughly impressed by the overall performance of the second film. I did have my doubts seeing Dolphin Tale 2 since the first film was not as strong as I would have liked. But Dolphin Tale did provide the necessary plot and character development, which set up the sequel nicely. Let’s see what happens in the second film.
Dolphin Tale 2 is a portrayal of the true events that happened with dolphins, Winter and Hope. The movie fast forwards a few years, and we can see how much of a difference there is. In the first shot, you see how developed the facility is. Looks like the funding they received in the first movie was put into good use because the facilities are looking better and there are a lot more visitors. Many people from all over the world visit Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see Winter. She has been an inspiration to many people.
By nature, dolphins are very social animals. It is healthy for them to have constant interaction with other animals and when Panama, Winter’s surrogate mother, died because of old age, everyone started to worry. Winter needed to be paired with another dolphin and soon. There is quite a lot of drama in this movie, and it only continues from there. From Panama passing away to possibly losing Winter to another facility, heads are turning and hearts are aching. Due to regulations, Winter cannot be housed alone and has to be paired with another dolphin. Winter was depressed, and she acted out with very aggressive behavior. It was behavior we had never seen before.
So when the rescue team gets a call to rescue another dolphin, you would think all of the problems would be solved. But the Clearwater Marine Aquarium lives by the motto of “Rescue. Rehab. Release,” and since the dolphin was doing much better, they had to release it back into the ocean where it belonged. It was a battle between potentially saving Winter and the morals of the aquarium. At the end, Dr. Clay Haskett, played by Harry Connick Jr., chose to stick to the words that the aquarium was built on.
As time ticks away, Winter has to be paired with another dolphin or else the aquarium will lose her. The rescue team gets a call that a baby dolphin is getting delivered to them right away. Since the baby dolphin is so young, it cannot return to the ocean. Thus, it has to stay in the aquarium, which luckily turns out well for Winter. With just a little hope, Winter may have found her pair.
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But would the two get along well? From the first attempt, it does not prove to be so. Since Winter has no tail, it’s a sight that Hope is not accustomed to seeing. Without her tail, Winter swims in a different motion than dolphins typically swim. From the troubleshooting, perhaps adding the prosthetic tail would help, but it does not.
That is not the only change that happens in the movie. Sawyer gets the opportunity to travel and study the marine life in the sea. It is a college program, which chooses one high school student per year to join the team, and that year they chose Sawyer because of his work with Winter. Torn between leaving Winter and another opportunity that can change his life, he is not sure which to choose. This becomes a turning point in the movie and opens up the character for growth.
As they go back to the drawing board, it looks like another tail has to be made. One that camouflages with the body and is softer and feels as if it’s truly part of the body. The tail is a great fit for Winter, and once the two get paired – after a dramatic wait – they get along swimmingly. The community is happy, Winter gets to stay, and Sawyer knows what decision he will make.
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A time for change and a new chapter, Sawyer goes off to the program. He knows full well that Winter will be fine, even though he is gone. Since it is not forever, he knows that the aquarium, which quickly became his second home, will always be there.
Throughout the movie, I loved the interaction between Hazel and Sawyer. Hinting that something might happen, I hoped that it did not end up turning into a cliche young love story. But it did not. Instead, the focal point remained on the animals. Sawyer and Hazel remained really good friends, and she supported him 100% as he embarked on a new chapter in his life. You see some push and pull between the two characters in the movie, but in the end they remain close friends.
Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, who also worked on The Blind Side, produced this film alongside Richard Ingber, who is the Alcon President of Worldwide Marketing. No wonder my eyes got watery a bunch of times! I am a huge fan of the film, The Blind Side, and this inspirational tale was done beautifully on screen. Also, we see champion surfer, Bethany Hamilton, in the movie as well. She too has been an inspiration to a lot of people and I think she was a good addition to the movie.
I loved how the media is bringing this inspiring story to the forefront of people’s minds. I personally did not know anything about Winter and her incredible journey until I watched the first movie. The second movie just brings everything full circle and creates the happy ending that I know us moviegoers wanted. I caught myself tearing up at some points and thought the movie was very moving. The first movie definitely did a good job in terms of character development and lead-in to the sequel. However, I enjoyed the second movie much more. The movie did seem a bit draggy at some points, but it did bring together drama, self-discovery, and inspiration. Go and bring the whole family to see this movie!
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Rating: 8/10
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