Pixar uses a Dungeons & Dragons type adventure as the base of its latest film, Onward. Its plot is largely built on a chain of puzzles and obstacles, each of which require some creative problem-solving to overcome, but even for seasoned role players these may be the least intriguing part of the film. Pixar has always been far more interested in character motivations than the surrounding plot machinations, and that is particularly obvious here.
When elvish brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot fail to cast a spell to bring their deceased father, Wilden, back to life for a day and only manage to summon his bottom half, they set off on a journey to find a Phoenix Gem and complete the spell. The emotional heart of the story feels very real, offering both brothers the chance to say things to their father that were never said, as well as the opportunity for them to find validation in their maturity.
Without speaking down to its target audience, Onward sorts through the complexity of family relationships in ways that are true to life and earned. The final twist in Ian’s character development takes us unaware, but it packs an even greater emotional punch than if the expected ending had played out. This springs from a personal place for director Dan Scanlon, who lost his father at an early age and instead found a paternal figure in his brother. It is gratifying to see Pixar continue to relinquish control to their directors, just as they did in 2017 when Adrian Molina explored his Mexican heritage in Coco.
The loss of magic in the fantasy world set up in Onward parallels Ian and Barley’s own loss of their father, and the search for both entail risks that are often perceived as thrills rather than threats. By the end, both Wilden and magic partially manifest in some way, suggesting that although they do not exist as full entities their essences remain behind. Specifically, magic reveals itself in Ian, and Barley carries on his father’s legacy and role in the family. Just as it seems Onward is moving towards one resolution, it becomes clear that the whole time it has been building to another – that loss is never permanent, since that which is gone continues to appear in surprising and hopeful ways.
The series of puzzles and complications that give the film its “game” structure unfortunately doesn’t hold together in its construction too well. The obstacles are often there for their own sake, holding little narrative significance beyond conveniently providing Ian an opportunity to develop his emotional arc. It even progresses in a similar way to a video game, pitting Ian and Barley against threats gradually rising in difficulty, until the final boss is unleashed for the simple reason that it’s the end of their quest. Not enough is done to subvert our expectations of the genre in this respect, choosing to instead to lovingly play on well-worn fantasy adventure tropes.
Pixar has made very few bad movies, so what we consider an average Pixar film is still decent by the standards of most animation studios. Onward isn’t as visually exciting as their most ground-breaking pictures, nor does it hit the emotional highs and lows of Up or WALL-E. But on its own, it is still a moving film about the importance of family relations in one’s developing maturity. For those with similar family dynamics, it will undoubtedly leave a mark.
