ONWARD

US, 2020, 105 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Mel Rodriguez, Tracy Ullman, John Ratzenberg.
Directed by Dan Scanlon.

What was that we just saw? Flying unicorns and a magic world? A contemporary high school – but with elves?

Pixar Studios once again offer us an inspirational fable, something they are good at. The opening reminds us that, once upon a time, there was magic and simplicity but that, over the centuries, the human race has become at the beck and call of modernising, the increasing prevalence of mod cons, human dependence on them. Even if, the continue to be elves.

This is the story of two brothers. One of them, Ian, is about to turn 16, what one might call a complete nerd. He is genially voiced by Tom Holland. Things are not always easy at home. Father has died and Ian always regrets not having got to know him. Meanwhile, his mother does her martial arts exercises to continue being an Elvish warrior, voiced by Julia Louis Dreyfus. But there is continued trouble at home, of the awkward, mess-making kind, with Ian’s older brother, Barley, awkward but sometimes ingenious, and something of a whiz at magic spells. He is voiced, comically, by Chris Pratt.

We see Ian at school, making his list of moves to be self-assertive, messing up the driving test on the highway, almost communicating with fellow students – but Barley turns up in his wreck of a car, Guinevere. But, all is not lost. Their father has left a gift for Ian 16th birthday, a giant magic wand – and what better to do than to cast a spell to revive him? Actually, the spell gets interrupted and only half of their father turns up, the bottom half, awkwardly trying to balance, giddy, decked with an artificial top, but still giddy.

So, the story begins a quest, to find a jewel out in the mountains that could be placed on the wand in order to complete the spell. Various comic adventures as they go on their journey in Guinevere. They have tried to get the help of the Manticore (Octavia Spencer) who eventually works with their mother.

The climax is not quite what we expected. In the end, they find the beginning, back at the high school who turns into a Dragon. So, the frantic desperation of Barley as he tries to complete the spell for their father’s return, in watching, mother and Manticore doing their warrior thing with the Dragon!

So, we are left with a nice feeling, Ian receiving an embrace from his father, he and Barley reconciled, and Ian telling the tale to young students at school.

So, onward and upward!

1. The challenge of how to describe this film?

2. The title, the tone, Pixar movie, moralising and inspiring?

3. The animation, the visuals, the magic past, the contemporary but elvish present? The imagination? The range of voices? The musical score, the final song?

4. The voice-over, illustration of the magic world, a world of unicorns, idyllic…?

5. The description of the transition, inventions, the electric light…? Contemporary US city, but different, the obvious descendants, the Centaur, the characters with one eye? Folklore and spells, possibility for magic? The high school but…?

6. The family, Ian as nerdish, the hero in his own quest, coming-of-age, turning 16, the possibility of the party, the mess at home, especially with Barley? His patient mother yet her exercises, her wanting to be a warrior? The absence of the father? Sadness of his death? The presence of Bronco, the Centaur? Ian and his list to improve himself? To approach people, to speak out, to invite others to the party? His going to school, the failed driving lesson, the invitation, the almost-acceptance, Barley spoiling it by his arrival, with Guinevere?

7. Ian and his desire to see his father, not having memories? The birthday gift, unwrapping, the magic wand, the need for the jewel? Barley obtaining the jewel, Barley and his knowing all the spells, unable to revive his father? Ian and his attempts, success – but only half way? The comedy throughout the film of the lower half of the father, walking, dancing? Accidents? The suit and the floppy top? The repercussions?

8. Barley is a character, the older boy, his voice, life as a mess, goodwill, his ideas? Going to the keeper of the magic spells? Going to the elves, the clash in their pursuit? On the highway, driving, his being shrunk? Ian having to drive, the terrors of merging? The pursuit by the police?

9. Directions to get another jewel, driving on the road, of the highway, the birds, the giving the direction in which to go, the problem of the bridge and the lever, Ian walking on the imagined stones, the finale and his fright? The police, the pursuit, causing the avalanche, the roadblock, the brothers and their continued pursuit?

10. Bronco, his character, the police pursuit, the brothers and the spell and then pretending to be Bronco?

11. Mother and the Manticore? The enthusiasm of the mission for the Manticore? Mother as warrior? Going to the pawn store, the encounter with the old woman, the bargain with the sword, upping the price, the spell on the owner?

12. The Indiana Jones adventures of the two brothers, going to the caves, the jelly, walls closing in, the flood, using the father to tread on the outlet? Their getting out of the manhole, back where they started? The school being destroyed and becoming a Dragon? Barley and his quest for the jewel at the top of the hill?

13. Ian, his list, feeling he had achieved? Letting Barley go to do the spell on their father, and watching from a distance, Barley’s embrace, coming back with the message and the hug?

14. The Dragon, mother, the sword, her eventually destroying the dragon?

15. The brothers, help, affection, and getting a new Guinevere?

16. The school restored, Ian giving the lesson, popular? The importance of life and magic?