DVD OF THE WEEK

Finding Dory (Cert U, 92 mins, Disney DVD, Animation/Comedy/Drama/Action, also available to buy DVD £17.99/2-Movie Collection DVD Box Set £22.99/Blu-ray £21.99/3D Blu-ray £25.99/2-Movie Collection Blu-ray Box Set £28.99 or on-demand from various streaming services)

Featuring the voices of: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Hayden Rolence, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy, Diane Keaton, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Andrew Stanton.

Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) is the next-shell neighbour of Marlin (Albert Brooks) and his young son, Nemo (Hayden Rolence) on the Great Barrier Reef. During a field trip to witness the stingray migration, the loveable blue tang experiences a rush of fragmented memories of her parents Charlie (Eugene Levy) and Jenny (Diane Keaton). "I miss 'em," Dory tells Marlin and the three plucky fish embark on an epic quest to California to reunite the forgetful daughter with her loved ones. They eventually arrive at the Marine Life Institute where Dory is separated from her pals and languishes in quarantine with a grouchy septopus called Hank (Ed O'Neill). Meanwhile, Marlin and Nemo abide by Dory's mantra - "Just keeping swimming" - and enlist help from wise-cracking sea lions Fluke (Idris Elba) and Rudder (Dominic West), near-sighted whale shark Destiny (Kaitlin Olson) and beluga whale Bailey (Ty Burrell). Finding Dory is Pixar's joyous computer-animated sequel to one of its biggest hits, which mines the central character's one-joke disability for gentle laughs without meanness or obviously treading water. DeGeneres' vocal performance exudes warmth and innocence, compelling us to root for Dory through a couple of the film's outlandish narrative detours. Set pieces including a frenetic chase are nimbly executed and the introduction of O'Neill's cranky cephalopod is a master stroke. In almost every aspect, Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane's journey of self-fishcovery is the emotional and comical equal of its predecessor, dazzling the senses with stunningly realistic visuals and Thomas Newman's buoyant orchestral score. A two-disc box set comprising Finding Nemo and Finding Dory is also available.

Rating: ****