Onward - A Movie Review

We have to finish this quest before the sun goes down or it will be too late!

Onward is Pixar’s latest film about a world of fantasy creatures. Two elf brothers discover the magical proposition to bring back their late dad for one day. However, magic comes at a price, making the boys test their abilities in a precarious quest.

I have never been more thankful for the existence of movie theaters since they, unfortunately, had to close due to the pandemic. Pixar graciously released their new film early to social media networks to let viewers watch their film. Onward is an endearing tale about two brothers rehashing their relationship as they venture through each challenge, learning a valuable lesson.

One of my favorite attributes about Ian’s character is how he wants to live his best life. The film establishes his character very well as a shy, awkward 16-year-old, who does not embrace change too well. He is easily relatable. Sadly, he doesn’t have any memories of his late dad. The lesson that he learns is a pivotal breakthrough, embarking on one of the toughest decisions I admire this film for making.

Barley is a fun character who has a lot of deep moments within the film that I was not expecting. He is a goofball, but he dislikes whenever he is wrongly labeled as a rebel which becomes a part of his dynamic with his brother. Ian and Barley’s journey is filled with the funniest moments along with distributing a heartwarming message about the importance of siblings.

Voice Talents for Onward include Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julie Louis-Dreyfuss, Octavia Spencer, Mel Rodriguez, Lena Waithe, Ali Wong, Grey Griffin, and Kyle Bornheimer. Voice work is very different, but it still requires to act through emotion. Each actor successfully an emotional performance, connected to their character.

While this film is mainly about Ian and Barley, a couple of unnecessary subplots were written into the film. Specifically with Laurel (Dreyfuss), the mother of the boys and this creature known as a Manticore (Spencer). Overall, it didn’t add much to the story. I would have preferred to see more of Colt’s character expanded, specifically on the relationship he has developed with his step-sons.

Unfortunately, this spell only brought back the lower half of the dad’s body. While it made up for some funny comedic moments, it was a little awkward, specifically when communicating. There wasn’t much for the dad to do other than bump into things.

I have to give a big thank you to Pixar for the subplot regarding Ian’s anxiety over driving. I did not get my license until I was twenty years old because I had also had anxiety about driving. Throughout my late teens, I was put down by media that negatively distributed and even shunning those who were sixteen who did not want to drive. It’s okay if you are not ready to drive. Pixar remarkably brought this message across to viewers.

The story aside, Pixar once again outdo themselves with flawless animations and layout. Each character has a unique design. It was nice that they decided to make the characters mythical creatures instead of regular humans, providing an effective change. Pixar has grown. I was impressed with the detail in the scenes.

Dan Scanlon created a heartwarming original picture. I would have liked to see Onward on the big screen, but I am honored that Pixar warmly accepted to distribute their movie earlier to give people a smile for the stressful events going on in the world right now. I recommend this adventurous movie. Thank you so much for your incredible duties, Pixar.