Onward (2020)

★★1/2

Pixar films hold a special place in my heart. No studio makes movies that appeal to the youngest of kids and can still move adults to tears. I grew up with the Toy Story franchise—Woody was one of my first Halloween costumes—and The Incredibles is still the best animated movie I have ever seen. They have set a high standard for themselves. Its last three films—Coco, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4—all received near-universal critical and popular acclaim. Pixar might be the only studio that is a guaranteed watch for me every time they put out a film.

Which brings us to Onward, a film set in a Dungeons and Dragons world where an elf and his older brother embark on a quest to spend one day with their deceased father. Despite failing to reach the heights of its most recent predecessors, the film has plenty of laughs, beautiful animation, and a heart-warming ending.



The Good
The central relationship between the brothers is where the film shines. Chris Pratt and Tom Holland have great chemistry and bring their characters to life. If not for their characters' likeability, the ending would not have worked. The film's overarching message about the power of brotherhood and the lasting relationship between parents and children is tear-jerking. Although this film has flaws, Onward is one of the most moving and emotional Pixar films, on par with Coco and Up.

The Bad
There was an overall lack of world-building in this film. Its attempt at brevity should be noted in a world where every film seems to be two-and-a-half hours. However, adding an extra fifteen or twenty minutes to flesh out the magical environment the characters inhabit would have made the film more interesting. The film also starts out with a relevant and creative message about technology dispensing with the need for magic, but the filmmakers abandoned this message after the first twenty minutes. The side characters—the boys' widowed mother, her centaur police officer boyfriend, and a manticore—fail to advance the story or bring effective comic relief. In fact, the boys spend most of their journey separated from everything and everyone. There is so much potential here that makes you wish the writers had spent more time developing this engaging and whimsical world and its characters.

The Verdict
Onward is a worthwhile watch that will give you all the feels. But, like an average dish at a five-star restaurant, we expect more based on Pixar's track record. It was a wonderful idea whose execution leaves something to be desired.

CJH