Film Review | Onward

 Onward is written and directed by Dan Scanlon and stars the voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt.

Animation/Adventure/Fantasy. Released 2020.

Onward follows to elven brothers who embark on a fantastical quest in order to bring back their father and spend one more day with him. 

Pixar Animation rarely falters. Their previous three films, Toy Story 4, Incredibles 2 and Coco have all been excellent - Coco being, in my opinion, one of the very best animated films ever made, a title I also give to many of Pixar's earlier films. Pixar is consistent and has now become a name synonymous with quality and, most importantly, sophistication. In most cases, Pixar films are likely to be even more emotionally resonant with older audiences than they are with children, due to the exploration of complex philosophical ideas which are concealed underneath the humour, colour, and accessibility of an animated film. This has become a very successful formula for Pixar. Does it still hold up?

The very premise of Onward is heavy, so naturally, it deals with mature themes of loss and grief. And yes, it is also very humorous, colourful and entertaining. The entertainment factor is mostly due to the voicework across the board from Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Octavia Spencer and Julia Louis Dreyfuss, most notably Spencer who is responsible for the film's funniest moments. Holland effortlessly voices this anxious yet determined 16-year-old elf which makes for an authentically realised central character. I appreciate how Pratt's character did not fit into a specific character archetype. The combination of his distinctive traits is a rare one and it made for a refreshing and less typical type of older brother and Pratt voices him with a lot of love and enthusiasm.

As to be expected, Onward is extremely well animated. The visual scope isn't as beautiful as something like Coco for example, because Onward has a suburban setting that reflects the modern world when infused with fantastical elements as opposed to Coco's timeless depiction of Mexico and the vibrant beauty of the Land of the Dead. The characters' emotional journey is very well weaved into the plot and both of these elements complement each other. In addition, there is a personal feeling to this story and it is no surprise that writer and director Dan Scanlon has had similar experiences of loss which also gives the film a very personal and sensitive feel. 

Although very emotionally effective and very well-paced, there is something missing from Onward which I can't quite put my finger on. It doesn't quite live up to the aforementioned Pixar classics and it certainly ranks on the lower end of the Pixar scale. I think the problem - which isn't really a glaring problem - is that it is quite safe, even though it is dealing with mature themes and delivers an emotional gut-punch at the end, it is not a film I will be eagerly waiting to rewatch much like the fairly recent Coco and Inside Out. A very enjoyable and heart-warming journey on the big screen, but not one to reflect on and think about once you leave. Perhaps this is because there is such an overt exploration of these mature themes with it being the very premise of the film, that once it's done, there's not much left to explore. I can't remember who originally said this, but there is a saying that a great film truly begins once you have left the theater. So yes, while Onward is a solid piece of entertainment, it doesn't quite reach the heights of being 'great'.

B-