I’m a little conflicted by Pixar’s latest offering Onward (and its first of two films of 2020, the other being Soul). On the one hand, I feel it is slightly underrated. It certainly contains more heart than I was imagining it would, and that extra Pixar spark that some of the studio’s weaker films lack. On the other hand, for a film with so much potential, it feels a little short, especially when it comes down to its unique premise. Two elf brothers have the chance to see their dad for twenty four hours, thanks to the last shreds of magic left around. Ian was born after his dad died. Barley was too young to remember much of his father. This opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime chance neither son imagined would have been possible until Ian’s birthday. Barley is obsessed with magic, in a Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the Gathering sort of way (despite it actually existing in this world, even in the past). Ian actually has magic capabilities, but doesn’t really believe in it (or in himself).

This turns into a coming-of-age tale. Can Ian develop as an awkward teenager into a young man? Will Barley get a firmer grip on reality, or was he actually always aware of his own place in life? With so many mythical, fantasy beings coasting around, Onward can be the ultimate quest. However, it relies a little too much on what humans may have done had they had magic. The film iterates that this is a long time ago again and again. Why do these beings have modern day, identical appliances and objects that we would use? Wouldn’t it be more interesting if these beings had things that only could have been brought up in their universe? Instead of a boombox or a smartphone, why not some sort of other electronic devices that do the same thing? The illusion that Pixar is usually so great at (look at how the Toy Story characters adapt to a smaller world, or a future Wall-E tells) is somewhat missing here, despite all of the literal magic happening.

The Lightfoot family, trying to figure out magic instructions.

The climax, while heartfelt, also gets emotional payoff a little misconstrued. I get what it was trying to display (the importance of guardians in your life, as well as the role of a departed loved one representing different things to different people), but it also seems incredibly unfair in a film that’s specifically about the chance to bring a dearly departed back from the dead. I know that Onward leaves the capabilities in the hands of the unselfish, but it falls a little bit flat. Had this not been a road trip to fulfil a quest, maybe I wouldn’t feel so shortchanged. That’s also life, though. It can be unfair. I’m giving Onward the benefit of the doubt in this way. It definitely has something to say. I just think Pixar has dealt with complexity on this level better before. The lingering curse also felt a bit convenient on the basis of plot delivery. Once it arrives, it’s mostly a gargantuan “meh”.

Fear not, though. Onward is quite engaging for the most part. Is it the most fun film Pixar has ever had? No. Is it the most satisfying? Also no. However, it is certainly a solid effort. that is colourful and swift enough to keep you invested. Onward isn’t about overstaying its welcome. It zips from point to point at a brisk pace, with enough events, checkpoints, and interesting characters to make every stop of this adventure seem worthwhile. What gives the film most of its juice is the message of relationships within a family. Sure, maybe I wasn’t completely thrilled with the resolution of Onward, but the goal to represent this theme throughout the film felt achieved. It’s the kind of flick that will make you want to call your family to tell them you love them. So, yeah. Onward isn’t Cars (thank goodness), and it’s not quite a Good Dinosaur. It’s somewhere in the middle. It’s not a failure, nor is it a masterpiece. It’s pretty decent, and yet it still has the ability to conjure up any human emotion, as is Pixar’s specialty.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.