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Warner Bros. Pictures and Alcon Entertainment provided us the opportunity to preview their new movie, “Dolphin Tale 2” at the TLC Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. In Dolphin Tale, we met the famous dolphin – Winter, whose rescue and rehabilitation, with the help of a groundbreaking prosthetic tale made her famous and inspired the 2011 family hit movie “Dolphin Tale.”
The sequel, “Dolphin Tale 2” reunites the cast from the first movie including Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Austin Stowell, Austin Highsmith and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and of course Winter the dolphin.
Dolphin Tale 2 starts out several years after the rescue of Winter. The team at Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), continue working with animals and their mission to “rescue, rehabilitate and, when possible, release” injured animals back to their natural habitats.
Everything seems to be going fine at the CMA, until Winter’s surrogate mother, Panama dies, leaving Winter along and grieving. Nothing and no one seems to be able to help Winter. Adding to Winter’s problems is the fact that USDA regulations require these social creatures to be paired. If a female companion is not found quickly, CMA will lose Winter to another facility. With time running out for Winter, Hope in the form of a baby dolphin rescued by the CMA team might be the answer to keeping Winter at CMA. The struggles and hard work of the CMA team to get Winter and Hope to accept each other makes for some heart tugging scenes. While the adventures of Rufus the pelican and Mavis the sea turtle add some of the funniest scenes to the film. Rufus (like Frozen’s Olaf) will likely become a favorite with moviegoers young and old. Adding to the story line are several sub plots including the hint at a romance between the young stars, Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) and Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff) and the hard decision Sawyer faces when an offer to spend a semester at sea includes leaving Winter behind.
A cameo by champion surfer, Bethany Hamilton, and the real-live footage at the end of the movie where Hope is rescued adds the perfect touch of real life drama to the movie.
Written and directed by Charles Martin Smith, who directed “Dolphin Tale,” and produced by Oscar nominees Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson and Richard Ingber, and Steven P. Wegner. David Yates and Robert Engelman as executive producers, “Dolphin Tale 2” is inspired by the true story of Hope’s rescue which occurred at the end of the first movie’s wrap party. Several members of the cast and filmmaking team were on hand to witness Hope’s arrival at CMA, and being hand carried to the pool—a scene closely re-created in the film.
Dolphin Tale 2 is now paying in theaters. Don’t miss this heartwarming, inspirational story.
My name is Loretta Garcia and I am the Entertainment Writer for Socalthrills. Follow our website for all your So. Cal news and updates.
