Onward

Two Brothers, A Quest and a Pair of Pants

When I heard about this movie coming out, I admit I was both excited and sceptical about whether or not it would be good. I do love all things Disney, but when it comes to the different studios, none of Pixar’s movies are on top of my list of favourites. I was excited to once again see Tom Holland and Chris Pratt team up again since Avengers End Game but sceptical because of what seemed like a very D&D based story. Boy have I never been happier to be proven wrong.



The story is based on two brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) Lightfoot who find themselves on a whirlwind magical adventure when a gift that was left to the boys by their late father has a rather disastrous outcome. On the road, the brothers discover many things about themselves and each other as they seek to spend just one more day with their father before it’s too late. 

To start off with, this was not just a typical modern-day D&D fantasy quest, but a very intricate and heartfelt story about love, loss and finding one’s self, told in a way that was appropriate and would be appreciated by those of all ages. Onward is a very emotional movie that hits all the right notes at the right times, it explores a wide range of human (or in this case elvish) emotions and challenges while being overtly fantastical, has an underlying relative realness to it. 

Throughout Onward, the musical score played in perfect sync with the movie and helped the flow of each and every scene while also helping the full immersion to the story and how the characters are feeling at any particular place and time. Each arrangement is powerful and tells a story of its own, definitely magical, fantastical and moving.   

The CGI, while not realistic, has the same very cute Pixar animation style about it.
The animation itself is intricate and takes every detail, every movement and every setting into consideration. It had a real-life quality to it all. The world setting colourisation was bright, but not too bright as to be garish, just the right amount to convey the fantasy theme and also invoke a sense of feeling and connection to the story and it’s characters.

In conclusion, to me, this was an almost perfect movie that took me on a wild ride full of adventure and emotions. I felt connected to Ian and Barley as they met challenge after challenge. The humour that was used to break any of the tense moments before they got too overwhelming hit each and every mark perfectly without being forced at all. This was a truly beautiful film, starring two very talented actors. My opinion is if you haven’t seen this film yet, do so. Sign up to Disney+ or buy it and enjoy, let the story take you away. 

Final Rating: 9/10