The sequel that everyone hoped for

Rating: 9/10 (10 September 2016)

Finding Dory is an extremely delightful sequel to the 2003 classic animated film, Finding Nemo. Aside from the great Inside Out, I found Pixar's films to have lapsed slightly in quality in recent years, with films such as Cars 2, Brave and Monsters University not reaching the feats that Pixar has often reached. However Finding Dory is not only a welcome return to form for Pixar, but certainly one of Pixar's best movies to date. The story is strong, and thankfully is not just a rehash of the previous film. But what makes the film so memorable is the excellent characters and voice cast. Ellen DeGeneres is fantastic as Dory and hits every note very well; Albert Brooks as Marlin and Hayden Rolence as Nemo are both great also; and the entire cast of supporting actors (which includes Idris Elba, Dominic West, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader and Ty Burrell) are all very memorable in their own right - it is the characters that really make this film swim, and swim it does.
As you would expect from Pixar, the animation is top-notch as always. But what surprised me the most about this movie is how genuinely hilarious it is. The gags are non-stop throughout the film (which is something you cannot say for many modern comedies) - some of which are extremely funny, and the running jokes all work very well. It is also a surprisingly emotional film that almost had me crying at one point, and is a film that certainly has the same heart as the original did.
In conclusion, Finding Dory doesn't feel at all lazy or like a rehash - instead, it is original in its own right while still paying homage to its predecessor. It is hilarious, heartfelt, and has some of the best characters in modern animation. It is exactly what a sequel should be.