FA+
Shop
Onward, It gets better on
5 years ago
So I decided to put a quick review of Disney movie Onward here. One of the latest 3D animated movies by Pixar, this one seems to be one of those "Acclaimed Flop" movies, in some places. That is to say, quite a few relegated this movie as somewhat bad due to its financial failure. Then again, it wasn't really its own fault here, as it came out during the time lockdown were put in place. There were also few other controversies, such as Disney once again claiming their "first new LGBT character" and trying to put a lot of emphasis on the two stars in leading roles (Holland and Pratt).
So what are my thoughts on it?
Worldbuilding: This one is interesting here. The background is basically this, long ago, magical creatures populated the land and they used magic for everything. But then, they discovered technology, realized how much easier their lives become because of it, which leads to magic being abandoned altogether. The movie follows the idea that most creatures slowly realize who they are and their hidden talents (flying, spellcasting, warrioring) as the story goes on, but it really isn't focused so much. The whole thing comes across as an excuse plot, and it shows. The main point of magic here is that the pair realize that they can use magic to bring back their deceased father, only once though, and need to go on an adventure to finish the half-spell they've casted. This isn't bad, all on its own, but it feels like a lot of wasted potential here, especially for the plot inspired by D&D and Lotr.
Plot: You may feel like dozing off in the first 10 minutes. The whole thing about Ian (young brother) feeling awkward fitting in and trying to deal with Barley (older brother), who is an embarrassing freeloader, may feel rather tired and cliché. And it kinda is. The whole set up is extremely obvious. Then it begins the adventure - and THEN the story goes up from here. While I mentioned how the worldbuilding feels like an excuse, that doesn't mean they don't utilize it well, as everything is made exactly with properly building everything in mind. They go to tavern based on mythical labyrinths, fight fairy biker gangs, end up in a death trap maze, the whole thing becomes more and more exciting as it goes on, and that's great. On top of that, the emotional moments keep on hitting more and more, and the movie becomes rather touching, until it culminates to a pretty superb climax. While not the biggest in terms of the world, it felt big enough for the cast, and the payoff is EXTREMELY satisfying.
Characters: I strangely admit that I found all of the cast likeable. The mother is caring, understanding, yet proactive. Corey the Manticore is goofy yet badass. Their step-father has minimal role, but even he was given a sympathetic portrayal here, despite the earlier beliefs. The brothers though are the emotional core of the story. Sure, they are as different as they can be, but they share the same motivation and sense of adventuring, and while at first they may seem estranged, that bond grows as the movie progresses, and it becomes one of the best sibling relationships I've seen since Big Hero 6. Honestly, the only character I've felt so-so was the deceased father, and even then it made sense as you go by the end.
Presentation: It functioned. That's what I'll say about it. It isn't mind-blowing animation, though there were some creative visual gags.
Overall: 8/10
It may not be everyone's cup of tea, or everyone's top movie. Or perhaps it will be, thanks to its unique message. The story did what it set out to do, and you should go into it with it in mind. Also, it may start slow, but it ends strong.
So what are my thoughts on it?
Worldbuilding: This one is interesting here. The background is basically this, long ago, magical creatures populated the land and they used magic for everything. But then, they discovered technology, realized how much easier their lives become because of it, which leads to magic being abandoned altogether. The movie follows the idea that most creatures slowly realize who they are and their hidden talents (flying, spellcasting, warrioring) as the story goes on, but it really isn't focused so much. The whole thing comes across as an excuse plot, and it shows. The main point of magic here is that the pair realize that they can use magic to bring back their deceased father, only once though, and need to go on an adventure to finish the half-spell they've casted. This isn't bad, all on its own, but it feels like a lot of wasted potential here, especially for the plot inspired by D&D and Lotr.
Plot: You may feel like dozing off in the first 10 minutes. The whole thing about Ian (young brother) feeling awkward fitting in and trying to deal with Barley (older brother), who is an embarrassing freeloader, may feel rather tired and cliché. And it kinda is. The whole set up is extremely obvious. Then it begins the adventure - and THEN the story goes up from here. While I mentioned how the worldbuilding feels like an excuse, that doesn't mean they don't utilize it well, as everything is made exactly with properly building everything in mind. They go to tavern based on mythical labyrinths, fight fairy biker gangs, end up in a death trap maze, the whole thing becomes more and more exciting as it goes on, and that's great. On top of that, the emotional moments keep on hitting more and more, and the movie becomes rather touching, until it culminates to a pretty superb climax. While not the biggest in terms of the world, it felt big enough for the cast, and the payoff is EXTREMELY satisfying.
Characters: I strangely admit that I found all of the cast likeable. The mother is caring, understanding, yet proactive. Corey the Manticore is goofy yet badass. Their step-father has minimal role, but even he was given a sympathetic portrayal here, despite the earlier beliefs. The brothers though are the emotional core of the story. Sure, they are as different as they can be, but they share the same motivation and sense of adventuring, and while at first they may seem estranged, that bond grows as the movie progresses, and it becomes one of the best sibling relationships I've seen since Big Hero 6. Honestly, the only character I've felt so-so was the deceased father, and even then it made sense as you go by the end.
Presentation: It functioned. That's what I'll say about it. It isn't mind-blowing animation, though there were some creative visual gags.
Overall: 8/10
It may not be everyone's cup of tea, or everyone's top movie. Or perhaps it will be, thanks to its unique message. The story did what it set out to do, and you should go into it with it in mind. Also, it may start slow, but it ends strong.
