Onward - Review: A Charming, Emotional, if Somewhat Aimless Tale, Onward is Another Triumph for Pixar
Release date (US): March 6th, 2020
Starring: Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dryfus, Octavia Spencer
Starring: Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dryfus, Octavia Spencer
**DISCLAIMER**: This is a subjective, opinionated article that does not have, nor should have any effect on your opinion. As such, my opinion is entitled to change over time and whatever is written here at this point in time may not and should not be held to me in the future. You are not meant to agree with me 100 percent of the time, because the nature of subjectivity is we see everything differently. If there is something you happen to disagree with, I absolutely respect your point of view if you will respect mine. Please keep this in mind.
The Review
It was clear that even though Toy Story 4 was a huge critical and financial success, that Pixar needed to make some moves. The studio was beginning to grow stale, something that it most certainly had not been known for over the last two decades. Yes, it was still capable of wringing out emotion, and yes it was still capable of making spectacular sequels (Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4) but it was time to go back to the drawing board.
So in 2020, Pixar decided to head back to its roots and release two films, both completely original. The first of which, which released in early March before the theaters shut down, was the Chris PRatt-Tom Holland-led vehicle known as Onward.
Of the two films coming out this year, the other being Soul which would have released in June had it not been for the pandemic, Soul was the one that caught most people's attention immediately. Directed by Pete Docter, the man who brought us tear-jerkers such as Up and Inside Out, Soul was set to be the next in the line of all-time Pixar greats that stand atop the studio's fabled legacy.
And then there was Onward.
The first trailers made no indication of anything special. From all accounts, it looked like a Dreamworks B-level film. Which isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. But it's not Pixar. Could Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, two incredibly likable talents working today (both having been made famous with the other Disney IP, Marvel) carry a film from a studio that never really banked on cast, but on emotion?
The answer is yes. And no.
The only way Onward succeeds is with these two leads. Of course any number of permutations for any films will get you quality, but this particular film that was presented to the audience was made complete with Tom Holland and Chris Pratt. Pixar understood that a lot of the emotional heavy-lifting had to be done by Tom Holland, and Holland delivers subtle nuance in voice acting that you would expect. And Chris Pratt, normally bombastic and goofy in nature, had a character that suited him just right, with a few surprising, pleasantly emotional moments sprinkled in.
Now, granted, Pratt's performance was immediately one of the ones that stood out negatively for me in the trailer, and while he greatly exceeded my expectations in the film, it wasn't because the trailer presented something different than was in the film. Rather, the trailer presented a small microcosm of his performance, which is much of the same in Onward. But his goofiness is welcome and a nice contrast to Holland's Ian. As mentioned above, however, he was given a couple key emotional beats, one of which I thought he completely nailed, and the other of which felt very rushed and very forced. It was rather hit-or-miss for the character of Barley.
But the film rides hard on these two characters; it's really what makes this film unique from others. This is a story about brothers and how they fit together and how their family dynamic works and what they're trying to accomplish through this quest that they're on.
As for the quest itself, which drives the main narrative of the story, it's meandering and rather aimless in moments. The film is surprisingly funny, which works to its benefit because it covers up some of the flaws of the story. Dan Scanlon, who also directed Monsters University for Pixar, still hasn't quite proven that he's got a tight handle on story. The side characters and obstacles that they encounter are there to further the brothers' relationship, but they often feel forced and unearned, once the laughter subsides and the story settles back in.
The rest of the cast is mostly made up of two characters, played by Julia Louis-Dryfus and Octavia Spencer. Louis-Dryfus, who plays the boys' mother, does a wonderful job at the role she's given; it just so happens that the role she's given is a little cliche in most parts and doesn't do much to stand out. It accents the rest of the family structure very nicely, but it doesn't do much else.
Octavia Spencer, one of the best actresses working in Hollywood today, voices a mystical creature that was easily one of the weirdest, and worst parts of the film. Her motivations and change in behavior were very off-putting, and her reason to be in the story at all was questionable at best. Spencer does a great job voicing the dialogue she's given, but there is still something to be desired by her character.
And yet, for its flaws and weak story, Onward reminds us of why Pixar is so good at what they do. in many ways, this film is a slow burn. It builds up to an ending that wrenches a raw, powerful emotion out of any human being who has had any type of family member before. It feels earned, and it feels refreshing. The last fifteen minutes of the film alone are what make it stand out above other films in Pixar's catalogue like Cars. There is a simple beauty behind this film's message that will resonate with almost anyone, and that's the beauty of a Pixar film. It's not a film that will appeal to kids and entertain adults. It's a film that will entertain kids and appeal to adults.
In the end, while Onward may not be remembered as the greatest Pixar film ever made (it may not even be remembered at all due to COVID-19 and its lackluster performance at the box office), it is still an incredibly solid film that almost anyone, of any age and background, can watch and take something from. Pixar once again proves that once it goes back to its creative, original roots, it can really make magic happen on the movie screen.
So in 2020, Pixar decided to head back to its roots and release two films, both completely original. The first of which, which released in early March before the theaters shut down, was the Chris PRatt-Tom Holland-led vehicle known as Onward.
Of the two films coming out this year, the other being Soul which would have released in June had it not been for the pandemic, Soul was the one that caught most people's attention immediately. Directed by Pete Docter, the man who brought us tear-jerkers such as Up and Inside Out, Soul was set to be the next in the line of all-time Pixar greats that stand atop the studio's fabled legacy.
And then there was Onward.
The first trailers made no indication of anything special. From all accounts, it looked like a Dreamworks B-level film. Which isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. But it's not Pixar. Could Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, two incredibly likable talents working today (both having been made famous with the other Disney IP, Marvel) carry a film from a studio that never really banked on cast, but on emotion?
The answer is yes. And no.
The only way Onward succeeds is with these two leads. Of course any number of permutations for any films will get you quality, but this particular film that was presented to the audience was made complete with Tom Holland and Chris Pratt. Pixar understood that a lot of the emotional heavy-lifting had to be done by Tom Holland, and Holland delivers subtle nuance in voice acting that you would expect. And Chris Pratt, normally bombastic and goofy in nature, had a character that suited him just right, with a few surprising, pleasantly emotional moments sprinkled in.
Now, granted, Pratt's performance was immediately one of the ones that stood out negatively for me in the trailer, and while he greatly exceeded my expectations in the film, it wasn't because the trailer presented something different than was in the film. Rather, the trailer presented a small microcosm of his performance, which is much of the same in Onward. But his goofiness is welcome and a nice contrast to Holland's Ian. As mentioned above, however, he was given a couple key emotional beats, one of which I thought he completely nailed, and the other of which felt very rushed and very forced. It was rather hit-or-miss for the character of Barley.
But the film rides hard on these two characters; it's really what makes this film unique from others. This is a story about brothers and how they fit together and how their family dynamic works and what they're trying to accomplish through this quest that they're on.
As for the quest itself, which drives the main narrative of the story, it's meandering and rather aimless in moments. The film is surprisingly funny, which works to its benefit because it covers up some of the flaws of the story. Dan Scanlon, who also directed Monsters University for Pixar, still hasn't quite proven that he's got a tight handle on story. The side characters and obstacles that they encounter are there to further the brothers' relationship, but they often feel forced and unearned, once the laughter subsides and the story settles back in.
The rest of the cast is mostly made up of two characters, played by Julia Louis-Dryfus and Octavia Spencer. Louis-Dryfus, who plays the boys' mother, does a wonderful job at the role she's given; it just so happens that the role she's given is a little cliche in most parts and doesn't do much to stand out. It accents the rest of the family structure very nicely, but it doesn't do much else.
Octavia Spencer, one of the best actresses working in Hollywood today, voices a mystical creature that was easily one of the weirdest, and worst parts of the film. Her motivations and change in behavior were very off-putting, and her reason to be in the story at all was questionable at best. Spencer does a great job voicing the dialogue she's given, but there is still something to be desired by her character.
And yet, for its flaws and weak story, Onward reminds us of why Pixar is so good at what they do. in many ways, this film is a slow burn. It builds up to an ending that wrenches a raw, powerful emotion out of any human being who has had any type of family member before. It feels earned, and it feels refreshing. The last fifteen minutes of the film alone are what make it stand out above other films in Pixar's catalogue like Cars. There is a simple beauty behind this film's message that will resonate with almost anyone, and that's the beauty of a Pixar film. It's not a film that will appeal to kids and entertain adults. It's a film that will entertain kids and appeal to adults.
In the end, while Onward may not be remembered as the greatest Pixar film ever made (it may not even be remembered at all due to COVID-19 and its lackluster performance at the box office), it is still an incredibly solid film that almost anyone, of any age and background, can watch and take something from. Pixar once again proves that once it goes back to its creative, original roots, it can really make magic happen on the movie screen.
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