Has the technology and comedy but, most importantly, the heart is front and center

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 2016)

I confess I approached Dory with a certain wariness, since it seemed odd to have a sequel so many years after the original, plus the concept sounded like it would simply be a rehash of the original film but with a different lead character. In a way the latter thought is valid, since there are similarities between the films in terms of characters, jokes, and narrative. However Dory manages to be more than a late cash-in, and stands up as another very fine Pixar film.
The impressive animation goes without saying, although it is really amazing what can be done with computer animation now. The plot itself is not brilliant; it does feel overly familiar in essence, and it of course relies a huge amount on coincidence and convenience – in a lesser film such things would be a major distraction, but here they are not so much. The reason for this is how well the majority of it works. The pacing of the delivery is spot-on throughout, and the writing of the characters and their dialogue is much better than the base narrative. It is consistently funny, with plenty of snap to the delivery, but really what makes it work is the same with the majority of Pixar films – which is that it has heart.
Dory is more than a comedy blue fish; she has inadequacies, pain, and insecurities while also at the same time being warm, likable, and engaging. A lot of this rests with the delivery by DeGeneres; certainly this is not a dialed-in piece of voice-work that can often be the case with animated films, this is a real performance. She brings a lot to the character and it comes across in the film, making us care and go with her. The other voice work is not at that level, mainly because they do not have to be, but there is plenty of good work here, even if some of it is a bit more of a piece (eg O'Neill and Burrell very much play how you are used to them playing). Too many to point out, in small and larger roles, but my favorite of course was a Wire reunion for McNulty and Bell.
A very enjoyable family film; all of Pixar's usual strengths, but the most important one is that the character of Dory is tangible, emotive, and engaging.