Movie Review: ‘Onward’

Onward+is+now+available+on+Disneys+new+streaming+platform%2C+Disney+Plus.+

Matt

‘Onward’ is now available on Disney’s new streaming platform, Disney Plus.

Matthew Carter, Staff Writer

Disney has done it yet again creating another great Pixar movie to add to the collection. Onward was released in theaters in early March, unfortunately shortly before the shelter in place started. While few were able to catch the film in theaters, Disney didn’t disappoint and quickly released it for streaming on Disney plus in early April.

The movie was a perfect blend of fantasy and reality, displaying a world of mythical creatures living in a modern day world where magic was replaced by technology. 

The movie follows the adventure of two elf brothers, Ian and Barley, who are portrayed by none other than Tom Holland and Chris Pratt. The brothers are total opposites, one being a smart and timid teen and the other being his fearless and magic obsessed older brother who can’t seem to get his life on track. 

But on Ian’s sixteenth birthday when they discover that they can bring their passed dad back to life using a spell, together they embark on a quest to find the magic stone they need to finish the spell within 24 hours. 

Onward really managed to blend fun and humor with important morals like family, trust, brotherhood, and sacrifice. Ian had never gotten to meet his father, and Barley wanted a second chance to say goodbye. 

Despite being polar opposites, the duo worked together as a team and helped each other through thick and thin in an attempt to spend just one day with their dad. 

They did have their differences and got in an arguement or two, but at the end of they day they had each other’s backs and supported each other, even when they thought the other one could be making a mistake. They did whatever it took to find the stone, and made some big sacrifices along the way.

 Tom Holland and Chris Pratt did a great job bringing their characters to life. 

Although the two are most famously known for their acting roles in Marvel, it wasn’t either of their first times giving their voices to animated films. Chris Prat provided the voice of Emmet for the popular Lego Movie back in 2015, and Tom Holland co-starred with Will Smith in the more recent 2009 film, Spies in Disguise

Chris and Tom had a fun and friendly bond off screen that they did a great job weaving into their characters.

Not only did onward provide a good family film, but it also made history by being the first disney film to feature an LBTGQ character. The charcter is Officer Spector, an openly gay cyclops cop. 

She’s voiced by openly gay screen writer and actress Lena Waithe. Despite only making a breif appearance in the film where she talks about her girlfriends kids, she might be the first step to a disney film with an openly gay lead.

While this was a good movie I’d have to say it wasn’t Pixar’s best. Pixar movies are known for taking something and giving it human-like qualities like cars, toys, and even emotions. While it was a fun idea to use mythical creatures and magic in a modern day world, I think the movie could have explored a lot more than it was. 

The movie was a little too fast paced to let you slow down and enjoy the clever details like unicorns going through garbage like racoons. Despite what could have been done with the movie, what was done was a fun adventure that the whole family can enjoy.