James R | On 02, Oct 2020

Director: Dan Scanlon
Cast: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer
Certificate: PG
Watch Onward online in the UK: Disney+ / Apple TV (iTunes) / Prime Video (Buy/Rent) / TalkTalk TV / Rakuten TV / Google Play / Sky Store / CHILI

“Long ago, the world was filled with wonder.” So begins Onwards, Pixar’s latest animated adventure, setting the stage for a tale of rediscovering magic. Spells, we’re told early on, used to be commonplace, except for the fact that learning them, mastering them and using them correctly took effort – and so, today, we rely on electricity not sorcery, iPhones not magic wands.

A spark of what used to be is conjured up on the 16th birthday of Barley Lightfoot (Tom Holland), a boy who has been raised single-handed by his mother, Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), after his dad passed away before he was born. His older brother, Barley (Chris Pratt), has only faint memories of him, so they both jump at the chance to get to know him, when Laurel gives Ian his birthday present: a “phoenix gem” that used to belong to his dad, along with a wizard’s staff and a spell to bring him back from the dead for 24 hours.

The spell half works, leaving the two sons shepherding around a pair of disembodied legs while trying to solve the problem – just as a curse springs up putting them all in danger. The result may feel familiar, but still produces an entertaining balance of magic and realism, shot through with witty observations on capitalist and consumerist culture. The Manticore, a legendary beast and giver of mythical quests, now works in the equivalent of a TGI Fridays. And the town centaur? He does night shifts as a beat cop.

That’s backed up by witty slapstick and inventive sight gags, but where Onward works is its internal journey, as every new challenge causes the brothers’ relationship to level up. Holland and Pratt’s chemistry is convincing and sweet, as the two boys bond through their actions while also learning to talk about their feelings at the same time. That’s countered nicely by the laugh-out-loud double-act between Octavia Spencer as the Manticore and Louise-Dreyfus’ Louise, as they team up to chase down the wayward boys in Barley’s van, Guinevere.

The result is a road trip that ticks all the adventuring boxes, but it works less as a tale of finding fantastical wonder and more as a story of reconnecting with what’s important – and that poignant streak makes this heartfelt offering from Pixar wonderful enough to enchant audiences of all ages.

 

Onward is available on Disney+ UK, as part of a £7.99 monthly subscription or a £79.99 yearly subscription.

 

Where can I buy or rent Onward online in the UK?

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