By Brendan Labra, Student Writer
One of the unfortunate effects of the circumstances we are facing due to the coronavirus is that students can no longer count on the Lost Films each weekend to get their movie fix. That being said, there are still a plethora of movies available to watch while we all are quarantined.
Just before the outbreak, Disney and Pixar released their latest animated film, Onward. Due to the fact that all movie theaters have essentially shut down across America, Disney decided to release the film early on Disney+. If you have a subscription to the streaming service, you can watch Onward now for free.
All About that Quest
The film takes place in a mythical world–well, sort of. It would actually be more appropriate to say that the film takes place in a formally mythical world. This world is actually quite modern and similar to our own, however the characters and people of this world are composed of mythical creatures such as elves, fairies and centaurs.
This mix of mythical and modern works very well throughout the film. There is enough magic to serve the classic mythological fan with modern comedy and antics serve the general audience.
The film follows the Lightfoot family: two brothers, Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) and their mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Barley is Ian’s older brother. Pratt’s character is obsessed with the old lore and magic that their world used to contain. This makes him an outcast of sorts, as the rest of the world seems to have moved on from those mythical days. Ian, on the other hand, prefers the current way of the world, but still does not seem to fit in.
On Ian’s birthday, their mother reveals that their now deceased father left behind a gift for the both of them. The gift is a magical wand and stone. With these objects, the brothers can cast a spell that will bring their father back for 24 hours. To everyone’s surprise, Ian is able to cast the spell, but only halfway before the stone breaks in front of him. Their father could only come back half way.
The rest of the movie consists of the brothers’ magical quest to find another stone so they can bring their father back and spend just a few more hours with him.
Onward and Upward
This film has quite a lot going for it. As I mentioned before, Onward appeals to a wide audience and keeps the audience engaged throughout the film. While there are certainly some cliches that are present in many Pixar films, this film is still fun to watch from start to finish.
The brotherly dynamic between Pratt and Holland is fantastic and certainly the most compelling part of this film. The two have great chemistry that is present beginning to end.
There seems to be more room to grow in this magical world, leaving the door open for a possible sequel. This would be welcome, as this film is rather focused on the brothers. Perhaps the next movie will explore the magical world in more detail.
Onward gets 4 out of 5 stars.
Image Sourced From: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/onward