Onward

Onward

Starring Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer

Directed by Dan Scanlon

Leave it to Pixar to give animated characters truly humanistic depth and to weave a beautiful, heartfelt story that'll hit you in the feels.  From the loss of a spouse, loss of youthful innocence, or even the heights of new love, Pixar never ceases to provide the waterworks.  "Onward" continues that tradition, and this is an extremely personal tale woven by incorporating both the magic of yore and the modern of yeet, a story that pretty much anyone with a pulse can get behind: what would you do for one more day with a parent who's passed on?

In this world, brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) Lightfoot are blue elves who live in a post-magic world, where the former desires of learning hard magic was abandoned for simplistic modern conveniences, and there's almost no real magic left in the world.  Ian just turned 16, and struggles with his own insecurities and doubts that plague his every moment, while Barley is stinted in his life as he still lives at home, doesn't seem to have a job, and spends all his time obsessing over magic and magic-based board games.  Ian never knew his father, who passed away while he was in the womb, and Barley only has a few memories of him, but then their mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) gives Ian a present from his father to be presented to him when he became an adult: a magical staff with a spell that'll bring his father back for a day.

The spell doesn't go as planned, and only the bottom half of their father reappears.  Ian and Barley set out on an adventure to find a magical crystal that'll bring the rest of their father back, and along they way they encounter setback after setback, while Laurel frantically goes in search of them with the help of manticore Corey (Octavia Spencer), who told the boys where to find the jewel but forgot to tell them of the deadly curse that comes with it.

What I Liked:You can really sense the personal connection between the characters, story, and the audience.  Director Dan Scanlon wrote the script based on his own life experience - he lost his father before he was born, and his older brother only had a few memories of him, and he wondered what his father was like.  You sense this deep desperation with Ian, who longs more than anything to know his father.  It's a story itself that pretty much anyone can (or will) relate to, and is done with intense care, sensitivity, and heartfelt emotions.

Tom Holland and Chris Pratt already have natural chemistry together after working in "Avengers: Infinity War," and they continue this comradere here.  You can really feel the brotherly bond between the two, and even though it's just their voices, you can sense the deep longing and emotional resonance they both showcase as they embark on their adventure.

Holland plays Ian perfectly, showcasing his youthful vibrancy as Ian, a kid who begins the film insecure, quiet, shy, and a wallflower, but as the journey continues he begins to find his own voice, and really begins to become comfortable in his own skin.  Likewise, Pratt plays Barley as a lovable goof with a fondness for magic but harbors deep regret and sensitivity that are hidden behind his burly facade, but ultimately come to the surface - and both prove that the journey is more important than the destination.  

The film really blends magic and reality expertly well, and really showcases real life.  Magic used to exist, but it was very hard to master and took a lot of time, until the creatures started manufacturing their own conveniences easily, which proved to be the more popular thing to do, and so magic was lost in favor of modern day simplicity.  The film does a great job at mixing both equally, subverting expectations and giving the viewer a nice enjoyable modern-day adventure in the guise of magical quests.

The story centers on two brothers who embark on their adventure to bring their father back for a day, and much like Pixar's other work, really allows for deeply emotional and personal performances to their characters in a way that can't be done in live-action.  It's not typical to find a film like this which centers on the emotional performances of two young men, but "Onward" does it extremely well.

What I Didn't Like:Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer's roles were really hindered by the overall tale of Ian and Barley's quest, and that's sad because both Laurel and Corey were compelling in their own right, but relegated to snippets of scenes that would've been very intriguing to see fully flushed out.  Both actresses gave tremendous performances, and both their characters were layered and needed to be given more depth.

The conclusion of the film felt rather quick and rushed, with the actual "curse" Corey spoke of earlier sounding much more dangerous than what was offered, even though it still left enough room for the emotional climax we were all waiting for.

Overall:
Offering another story that they're known for, Pixar's "Onward" asks a deeply emotional question and answers it with an epically scaled quest with strong character depth and fantastic vocal performances by its dedicated cast.

The Score: A+