“Finding Nemo,” Pixar’s 2003 masterpiece about a clownfish searching the ocean for his son, probably didn’t need a sequel. While the promise of numerous money bags no doubt played a role in Disney/Pixar’s decision to make “Finding Dory,” returning director Andrew Stanton and his team have made a film that stands on its own, even when it’s retreading the things you liked about the original.

The key to its success is shifting focus to Ellen DeGeneres’s Dory, the comedic sidekick in “Nemo” who suffers from short-term memory loss. The character’s repeated brain lapses continue to inspire comedic moments, but the movie digs into the sadder side of Dory’s condition. Bluntly, she lost her family and forgot about them. The story of “Finding Dory” opens with the blue tang remembering a key detail about her parents’ whereabouts.

“Dory” features numerous returning characters, chiefly Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and his overprotective father Marlin (Albert Brooks, still great in a reduced role). While Stanton uses the first act to squeeze in a few rehash moments with the original’s standout characters (the director also reprises his vocal role as the tubular sea turtle Crush), the movie shifts gears once Dory reaches a marine life recovery aquarium and meets a new set of colorful ocean life.

The best addition is Hank, a curmudgeonly octopus voiced by Ed O’Neill. He’s set to be released into the wild, but he’d prefer to stay within the safe confines of the marine hospital. It’s hard to blame him, especially since his camouflage ability allows him to move around the aquarium (both in and out of water) without tipping off patrons or employees.

“Dory” is a bit frantic in its second half, but Stanton stages a number of engaging “escape” and “break-in” sequences that stand apart from the adventures in “Nemo.” The movie also makes nice use of a series of poignant flashbacks to Dory’s childhood. The design of baby Dory alone is adorable enough to induce tears.

The crux of “Finding Dory” focuses on why Dory is who she is, and the movie provides origins to her “Just Keep Swimming” ditty, her ear for whale speak and other memorable traits from her first film appearance. Over-explaining a character’s origin can be a dangerous strategy (see: the “Star Wars” prequels and the talk of midi-chlorians), but “Dory” uses the details to drive her character throughout the adventure. “Just Keep Swimming,” in particular, brings about one of the film’s most honest emotional moments.

“Finding Dory” also touches on some powerful thematic beats without floundering (pun!) in schmaltz. Dory, Nemo, Hank and many of the new characters all have some form of disability. The story builds on a series of events where those limitations either become assets or the characters find novel ways to overcome them.

Like all Pixar efforts, the animation is gorgeous, and the attention to detail puts to rest any question of the filmmakers phoning in the project. “Finding Dory” may not touch the masterful execution of its predecessor, but it’s a sequel that can exist without unflattering comparison to the original.

Take Pixar’s unbelievable “Toy Story” follow-ups out of the conversation, and it’s hard to find many sequels capable of justifying their own existence. The world is better with “Dory” in it.

‘Central Intelligence’ wastes Rock-Hart chemistry

The buddy-comedy pairing of Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson should be the equivalent of an unchallenged layup (we’re still a week within the NBA Finals, so obvious basketball references still apply).

Instead, “Central Intelligence” plays like the lazy sequel to a better movie. Hart and The Rock are old high school acquaintances thrust into an explosive spy adventure. The Rock, former chubby kid and current CIA superhuman, ropes his mild-mannered classmate into a series of rote, humorless scenarios, and the performers strain to lift the cliche-ridden screenplay. Even the post-credit bloopers are painful to watch.

Hart, a gifted comedian, continues to make horrible movie choices. The Rock is always excellent (really), but somebody needs to give the guy a proper comedic vehicle. “Central Intelligence” made money last weekend, so maybe its sequel can be more like “Dory” and less like, say, “Ride Along 2.”

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Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.