Onward (2020) Non-Spoiler Film Review: A Fun, Emotional, Albeit Familiar Quest

In a fantasy world where the inhabitants gave up on magic and rely on technology, two elf brothers get an opportunity to bring their deceased father back for one day with the use of a magic spell. But, when the spell only brings back his legs, the brothers start a quest to find a rare gem needed for the spell to work, as their personalities clash with each other. I think many of us are familiar of this type of story and the cliches that acquire, which "Onward" is no stranger towards. I did sort of predict the story turns and emotional scenes for the most part, but it's the climax that caught me off guard. I won't spoil what happens, but I'll just say that the themes and emotional conclusion I was expecting was subverted excellently. The tone and humour is more on the lighthearted side of Pixar's filmography for the most part, outside of the dramatic scenes. I didn't mind the tone and I managed to chuckle quite a few times. Much like many of Pixar's works, I like how it doesn't push too much for children, but rather a balance for all demographics. However, I wouldn't be lying if I admit that I personally like films with a more adult tone such as "Coco" or the first "Incredibles" film.

If your film is going to have familiar beats, the best thing to counteract the story is with solid, likeable characters that the audience gets invested in, which "Onward" prevails in. Ian Lightfoot is a teenager lacking in self-confidence and pessimistic of the use of magic, unlike his older brother, Barley, who is a historical and role-playing nut that makes him unpopular in the city. The relationship and chemistry of the brothers is the heart of the film, as it is both fun and heartwarming to see the brothers that are polar opposites work off each other. I also love how the voice actors, Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, manage to blend in extremely well with the characters that you forget that these A-list actors are voicing the characters, though it's Pratt's work that proves more effective in becoming the character. For the side characters, there's Laurel, the caring mother, Colt, Laurel's goofy boyfriend that the brothers mock, Octavia Spencer's Corey, a manticore who helps out Laurel to find the brothers before they run into danger, and lastly, there's Wilden, the deceased father. The father, who is mainly presented as legs, does present a personality through the mime act, but the film isn't really about him, bur rather the brotherhood dynamic of the main characters. In this case, I would've preferred that he didn't even have a voice actor attached to him, considering the role he plays in the film as well as the film's main protagonist being Ian, who has never seen his father at all. Regardless, the characters are very solid and likeable, though it's Ian and Barley that remain the strongest thread.

What can I say about the animation? It's fantastic as always, with great detail, textures, character designs, and capturing the action or lack thereof. The world that the film creates is vibrant and at times creative, particularly the roles of specific fantasy creatures in this modern world and how magic is something that's real, but forgotten in history. However, I would like to mention that the world is lacking in imagination for the most part, as it plays it pretty safe on the representation of the modern world with these characters. Unlike "Zootopia", "Monster's Inc" or "Coco", where the world is so creative to the point that they are very unique in the field of animation, "Onward" feels a bit uninspired in that field, as the film is trying to focus on the grounded relationship of the characters. This is not a bad thing, but it brings the question up about just having the characters just be humans if the world isn't developed enough for this fantasy setting. The action scenes where our characters are in peril is nicely paced and chaotic, where the film generally offers some suspense due to the tight situations and the limited time and resources they have in their disposal. The music by the Danna brothers also feels safe for the formulaic plot, but the score used in dramatic beats are very nice. Lastly, I want to point out how I love the lack of an antagonist in this story which, with the fantasy setting, could have occurred to have reason for using magic and action. However, the only thing that the brothers are in conflict of is valuable time, misguidance, and the importance of family. As much as I adore "Coco", I will admit that as much as I liked the surprise villain, I did kind of wish there was no villain to begin with, which "Onward" exceeds in with the use of obstacles that get in the brother's paths.

"Onward", in my opinion, is one of the better Pixar films in the studio's resume. It's not perfect, as the mostly formulaic plot, underwhelming score, and an underdeveloped world keeps it from being excellent. However, the third act development, charming tone and humour, likeable characters, fantastic animation, fun action scenes, and effective drama are the staples that hold the film together to make it another classic from the studio. I really enjoyed watching this film and while it's hard to claim about it being one of the best, any good adventure from Pixar earns my respect and praise.

Verdict: 8/10. Just about great, although there are much better films from Pixar. Regardless, this is still a film to watch once or twice with family or by yourself.