Directed by: Dan Scanlon
Written by: Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley, and Keith Bunin
Starring:
Tom Holland as Ian Lightfoot
Chris Pratt as Barley Lightfoot
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Laurel Lightfoot
Octavia Spencer as The Manticore
Mel Rodriguez as Colt Bronco
Rated PG for action/peril and some mild thematic elements
Runtime: 102 minutes
Disney and Pixar continue to develop great stories, and always amaze me with their creativity, even long after Toy Story (1995). Their endless collection of ideas for stories, characters, and settings is awe-inspiring. From toys coming to life in a child’s bedroom to monsters living their daily lives in their metropolis, Disney and Pixar know what it takes to entertain on large scale.
Their streak continues in Onward, an adorable film with a great theme of family connection. It’s almost like watching Orange County (2002) again, but with elves and not so much crude humor. Watching the brothers interact reminds me of growing up with my brother, and the trips we’ve gone on together. You know a film is great when it makes you nostalgic for your memories.
Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) is a socially awkward teenager trying to break out of his shell. I would say he is a typical teenager…despite being an elf. Ian occupies a world where mythical creatures live their lives as we do in modern society, but humans don’t exist.
His older brother, Barley (voiced by Chris Pratt), is without direction. He spends his time playing a “Dungeons and Dragons” style game, rather than experiencing the real world. Barley obsesses over the idea of magic and wants to seek ways to bring it back into their society.
The prologue mentions that magic used to be real for their world but fell by the wayside as technology evolved. It’s certainly easier to flip a light switch than to light your lamp with a difficult magic spell! This shift in expectations adds to the originality of the story and its characters.
Ian is a loner whose father died before Ian was born. He is envious, yet happy that Barley remembers their father, even if he only has three memories of the man. That may not seem like much, but Barley is proud to have them.
Their mother, Laurel (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus), presents a gift to Ian for his sixteenth birthday. It is a gem with an ancient wizard staff. This excites Barley in particular since his game has taught him every spell known to man…or elf. The gift also included a special spell –one that can bring back their father for one whole day.
Their spell almost works, except only half of their dad appears – the bottom half. The gem disintegrates before the upper half can materialize. At least their dad can walk, and they don’t have to carry him around. However, they must guide their dad with a leash so that he doesn’t bump into things. They decorate his “upper half” with a pillow covered with a sweater and a fake head with sunglasses. Their dad could have easily been in Weekend at Bernie’s II (1993), but Onward is much better.
Barley knows of another gem in the mountains outside of town. If they can find it, they can complete the spell and have a short-lived family reunion. He, Ian, and their half-dad hop into Barley’s beat-up van and hit the road. The story wouldn’t be interesting if they didn’t hit a few pitfalls along the way, but I won’t spoil them for you.
I enjoyed myself thoroughly while watching this film. There was a toddler nearby crying throughout half the film, but it didn’t bother me, because I was already hooked. I also loved the humor. There is a scene involving the brothers accidentally provoking a biker gang …of fairies. It takes about twenty of them to operate one bike – and with four bikes, we’re talking about at least eighty fairies. That sequence was a little over-the-top, but it didn’t lag.
Onward is a treasure for all ages. It’s great entertainment that will be long remembered for both the story and the casting. Holland and Pratt play off each other like brothers would, which is likely due in part to their time together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
3.5/4 stars
