Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2884. Onward (2020)

    2884. Onward (2020)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on March 11, 2020 100-109 mins, 2020, 6 - 7.9, Action, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Mar 20, Movies Of 2020, Review, United States
    7.6 Cute and lively, but far from Pixar's best
    • Acting 7.6
    • Directing 7.5
    • Story 7.6
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus

    Director: Dan Scanlon

    Running Time: 102 mins


    Onward is an American film about two teenage brothers who, years after losing their father, discover a magical spell to bring him back – only things don’t go quite as they planned.

    Bursting with vibrant energy, Onward is a delightful family adventure from beginning to end, bolstered by a sweet, heartfelt atmosphere and a fun-loving sense of humour.

    Saying that, it’s far from Pixar’s best work, often proving uncharacteristically lacking in imagination, while also missing out on delivering the story’s strongest emotional potential.

    Of course, the standard that I and many others hold Pixar to is far higher than most other studios, but it’s that reputation that makes their films such a joy to watch. And it’s what unfortunately makes Onward – a perfectly good film in its own right – feel a little underwhelming.

    But, let’s start on the bright side, because there’s a lot to like about this movie. Above all, Onward is a really fun family adventure. Filled with energy, vibrant visuals and good humour throughout, it’s a movie that will put a smile on your face right from the get-go.

    Its first two acts are a little rockier, but the film really gets into its stride as a fantasy adventure come the final act, playing more with classic Pixar imagination, impressing with fast-paced action and hitting home with a few moments of strong emotion.

    Onward is far from the studio’s most emotionally intense work, but there is a gorgeous moment very near the end which packs a sucker punch strong enough to get your eyes watering.

    Saying that, however, the film’s strengths in its final act are contrasted by its two preceding acts, which are far from spectacular. Again, they’re undeniably enjoyable, and with bright energy at every moment you’ll be laughing and smiling along, but given what the film is ultimately able to do come the final act, they’re also rather underwhelming.

    Above all (and extremely uncharacteristically for Pixar), Onward really lacks imagination for the majority of its first two acts. Unlike some of the studio’s best works (Inside Out, Finding Nemo, Coco), which take real-world ideas and sprinkle some movie magic and imagination into the mix, Onward seems a lot like the opposite.

    Bringing a world of fantasy and a more mundane suburban environment together is a fun premise, but it’s executed blandly. In that, it feels far more like the film is taking the fun and imagination away from a fantasy world, rather than giving it something more.

    That really frustrated me throughout, and it’s a problem that’s compounded by jokes that finish with a fairly repetitive punchline. The humour is good, and it’s all delivered in good fun, but nearly every joke for the first two-thirds is a subversion of the magical expectations of this fantasy world, turning out to be something plainly everyday and mundane.

    That repetition further points to a lack of imagination and ideas in Onward, and is ultimately what really makes it lag behind the best Pixar has ever had to offer.

    Finally, the film also struggles to deliver consistent and genuinely affecting emotional drama throughout. The story follows two teenage boys trying to find a magical gemstone that allows them to see their father in full, but in the process, the film seems to leave the father (who is just a pair of legs) by the wayside.

    In that, it misses the opportunity to tell a really moving story about the boys’ fleeting chance to see their father, too often using the character as a sidekick for little more than comic relief, rather than the emotional role he could have played.

    It’s a disappointing oversight from a studio that’s proven time and time again that even the most offbeat stories are full of emotion, and further adds to the feeling that Onward just isn’t a display of what Pixar can really achieve.

    Still, I did have a fun time with Onward. Pixar’s daunting reputation aside, it’s a likable, energetic and enjoyable adventure throughout, impressing with nice humour, bright visuals and a sweet, heartfelt atmosphere.

    As a fantasy adventure, it works wonderfully, particularly in a final act which is full of both imagination and emotion. Unfortunately, the first two acts don’t quite work as well, disappointing with a surprising lack of imagination and a missed opportunity for consistent emotional drama. However, the film is still enjoyable enough throughout to be worth your time, and that’s why I’m giving Onward a 7.6 overall.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.8
    Review
    June 20, 20140

    596. The Fault In Our Stars (2014)

    8.2
    Review
    September 16, 20180

    2281. Land Of Mine (2015)

    8.3
    Review
    July 7, 20160

    1410. Waterloo Bridge (1940)

    8.0
    Review
    May 22, 20160

    1359. I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK (싸이보그지만 괜찮아) (2006)

    8.0
    Review
    October 26, 20210

    3526. The Rescue (2021)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.