[8] Conversely, though the 1996 remake film was a financial success, it was poorly received by critics and declared as inferior to the similarly-themed Free Willy franchise.

[9][10][11][12][13] Sandy Ricks, a young boy living in the Florida Keys, has his world forever changed one day when he discovers an injured bottlenose dolphin.

When his father Porter instructs him to return Flipper to the wild of open sea, Sandy is disheartened and tries to sneak away with his friend from the ocean.

The importance of the pair's friendship is displayed when an encounter with a shark on the hunt becomes a dangerous situation and Flipper's loyalty is shown when he fights to protect the young boy who saved his life.

With his wife since deceased, Porter's primary focus has shifted to providing for his son and continues studying to become a park ranger.

When plans for construction in the Florida Keys cause some hardship for his father's job as a fisherman, Sandy learns that the family may be moving.

Befriending and caring for the orphaned animal and experiencing adventures together, he also becomes familiar with a local girl named Kim Parker and develops a romantic interest in her.

Determined to confront the criminal, situation becomes dire when Sandy finds himself in open water being pursued by a large and predatory hammerhead referred to by locals as "Scar".