I feel so bad for Pixar’s “Onward.” It’s not that it did poorly critically or financially; it was unfortunate to release during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and by that time, everyone was avoiding going to places like movie theaters for a long time. When the pandemic calmed, and “Onward” was released to streaming, many people passed this movie as a lackluster Pixar film that couldn’t hold a candle to some of the studio’s best work. I agree that when compared to the movies Pixar has done in the past that it may not live up to the high standards set by many Pixar nuts. However, the way I see it, “Onward” is an underappreciated film that still carries the studio’s signature heart and charm to create something weird but also fun and undeniably full of wonder with few surprises of its own.
In an old fantasy world, the world was full of wonder and magic, but doing magic spells was challenging to master. Fantasy creatures, from elves, trolls, and centaurs, found a more straightforward way to get by through ever-growing technology. Decades later, a shy, awkward teenage elf names Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland) is given a birthday present from his long-deceased dad, which turns out to be a wizard staff, and later invertedly starts a spell that brings his dad back to life. Unfortunately, the spell only half works, and the dad is only left with two legs. Seeing the spell only works for 24 hours, he enlists the help of his older carefree brother Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt), who witnessed the events along with Ian to go on a quest to find a phoenix gem to finish the spell and give a top half to their father. Meanwhile, their mom Laura Lightfoot (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), worries after the boys leave on their own without notion and go out to find them with the help of a manticore named Corey (Octavia Spencer), will the brothers be able to complete the spell while also surviving many obstacles in their path?
The story has its ups and downs but delivers the same charm, humor, and heart you’d expect from a company juggernaut like Pixar. Admittedly the movie starts out slow initially, but once the brother’s adventure begins, the creativity and humor show themselves, and it is overall very charming. The premise takes the idea of a fantasy world that has long forgotten its magical roots, replacing itself with modern technology. It makes excellent use of the concept through its world-building, and the film's many jokes and ideas. However, part of me wishes that I could see more of the world as some aspects of the universe “Onward” takes place in do feel a little empty in parts. The initial “what if” statement is strong, but I know Pixar can juggle around even more creative ideas for world-building, seeing as they are the masters of creating unique and engaging worlds that are easy to get lost in. The thing that makes this movie worth remembering, though, is the heart which centers around Ian and Barley Lightfoot as they go on a quest to bring their dad back to life for one day. It's the main driving force of the narrative and was inspired by director Dan Scanlon’s personal experiences, which helps give the movie a more grounded and emotional touch and can lead to some legit heartfelt and even tear-jerking momments. Even as a huge Pixar fan, I know the studio has made worlds and stories even better than those shown here. However, Onward’s story is very underappreciated and deserves to be liked or even loved more than its reputation suggests.
The characters are easy to love, and most have excellent voice talent attached to help personify their personalities even further. Tom Holland plays Ian Lightfoot as his shy and awkward nature is charming. His journey with his brother to bring his dad back, who he has never seen before, is satisfying and emotionally impactful. Meanwhile, Chris Pratt plays Barley Lightfoot, who has a carefree and passionate nature, especially when reminiscing about how magical their world used to be. Ian and Barley’s relationship is the heart of the movie, and their personalities colliding lead to some of the funniest and heart-tugging moments. In fact, when I hear their voices, I don’t just hear Tom Holland and Chris Pratt voicing characters, I actually buy them as Ian and Barley Lightfoot because of how well they work together as charcters just like they had when they played Spider-man and Star-Lord in the MCU. Other than the brothers, other big names voice the supporting cast, such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who plays Ian and Barley’s mother, Laurel, and Octavia Spencer, who voices Corey the Manticore, and they both get a few laughs as well as essential roles to play in the story. Even more minor characters like Colt Bronco, played by Mel Rodriguez, have minor roles but make a more significant difference later in the story. Pixar continues the tradition of getting the right voice talent to bring their characters to life, and Onward is no exception.
The outstanding animation combines dungeons' and dragons' environments and modern-day living to create a magical and fun experience. Some visual choices this film makes are very memorable, such as Ian and Barley’s Dad being just a pair of legs for most of the movie, a manticore tavern having been turned into a Chuck E Cheese-like environment, and even pixies riding motorcycles. The magic in the movie also is very 2D-like and mystical as it separates itself from the magic used in other fantasy animated movies. Character designs look Pixar-Esq, and each character has an amount of clothing and props that represent them very well. I also give credit that the film doesn’t look too realistic, leaving for overexaggerated designs to really pop, especially in the character's emotions. It is no surprise, but Pixar once again nailed it in the animation department to make the story and characters come alive.
The music was made by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna after their time making the music for “The Good Dinosaur.” Needless to say, they have really stepped up their game and delivered a score with many traditional orchestrations and some classical rock-inspired music that perfectly fits the style and tone the movie goes for. I’m not gonna say this is the most memorble music from the Pixar studio, but it gets the job done in its own impressive way and helps to sell the emotions and feel to help it be unique from all the other films in the Pixar library.
Even though over the years, we have come to expect nothing but perfection out of Pixar (Which is kinda harsh from my perspective even though it, unfortunately, makes sense), I believe it is still worth noting that movies like this one give the impression that the beloved animation studio wants to keep enchanting us with stories that are relatable, creative and tug hard at your heart strings. “Onward” is the same and deserves to be more loved as much as many of the best Pixar offerings, even if it may not be the strongest when compared to movies like “Inside Out” or “Coco”. If “Frozen” was the touching tale of two sisters then “Onward” is the touching tale of two brothers. This movie deserves a second chance after being sadly tossed aside during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has an unsteady but emotionally resonated story, great characters, excellent animation, and a surprisingly good soundtrack. It may be a B-level Pixar flick, but it needs more attention and love from critics and audiences worldwide.
(Final Grade: B+)