Onward is the latest film from Pixar Studios, the makers behind some of the most iconic films of our generation’s childhood, like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. This is the studios’ first original film since 2017’s Coco and is furthermore helmed by Dan Scanlon, the mind behind Monsters University. Given that film’s passability, I didn’t expect this to be among the upper-echelon of Pixar films. Nevertheless, I find this film to be a solid addition to the collection.
The storytelling of the film comes from a very personal place. In a recent article, Scanlon explained that Onward came from an exploration of a family tragedy — while one year old, his father passed away. While he doesn’t hold any memories of him, Scanlon explains that sad fact inspired him to tell a story about two elf brothers, Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (by Chris Pratt), as they embark on a quest to bring their father fully to life before his lower-half disappears forever. It indeed brings some of the humor and thrills that we have come to expect in kids’ animation. There is a particularly funny scene involving a gang of pixie fairies that encapsulates both of these elements that is enthralling. Towards the end of the film, the final act takes a surprising twist that launches the film into a surprisingly emotional climax that, while failing to create an original philosophical premise, can make an audience member contemplate their relationships.
This leads me to some problems that some audience members may have. Namely, there have been some critics calling the Onward a “Frozen for boys.” The comparison is obvious — both handle the same subject matter, missing parents and sibiling tensions, and involve discovering magical abilities. Though I think both films have universal themes, yet they might only reach a certain gender at its fullest reach. Beyond this, the film can sometimes get bogged down by pacing issues, especially towards the beginning. The ending also feels very unnecessary, one that could have been added by executives who saw a need to tightly wrap up all loose ends. It deviates the emotional punch at the end into a wall of mediocrity.
If on the fence about seeing it still, I would highly suggest the film purely as a technical feat. Pixar, needless to say, improves its animation quality to the point of photorealism with every subsequent film it produces. Onward is beautiful, especially in the smaller details of the film. The lighting is beautiful in the purple hues of the night skies as well as the wooden floorboards of Ian’s room. The voice acting is also excellent from all involved. It’s as simple as that. While it may not be a top-tier Pixar film. Onward nevertheless will satisfy both parents and children as a fun adventure into a fantastical world.
4/5 STARS