Set in a fantasy world of elves, wizards, manticore, and other mystical sentient beings, Onward explores the tale of two elven brothers’ misadventures in their quest to correct a spell gone wrong so that they can spend the day (or what is left of it) with their deceased father. This world has lost its magic in the name of development and modernisation, something we can all relate to. This is a neat premise that I would love to explore if I ever become a writer.
The younger sibling, Ian (Holland) is obsessed to meet his father because he was too little when his dad passed away. Unfortunately, while casting a spell to bring him back, something went awry - only the legs appeared, so Ian sets off to find a way to bring his father back as a whole. Inadvertently, his bumbling brother, Barley (Pratt) joins the party. Initially more trouble than help, you can expect Barley to play a significant role in the movie.
Meanwhile, Soul brings us back to Earth where a struggling music teacher, Joe (Foxx), lands a gig of a lifetime to play opposite his jazz idol, only to, literally, fall dead moments later. He becomes a spirit who refuses to accept his fate and vows to return to his body. In the afterlife, he impersonates a mentor tasked to prep a soul for life on Earth. The fun part is, this is a pessimistic soul filled with so much negativity about being human that it has overstayed its due. So the two makes a deal - when the soul is ready, it is supposed to switch places with Joe so that he can return to Earth while the soul remains.
So it is going to be a win-win situation right? Of course not. As with everything that happens in our lives, some things go wrong and some things turn out fine. This is the premise of the movie.
Told in true Pixar fashion, both movies make great family entertainment with important life lessons weaved into the storylines. The animation is always top-notch with fabulous palettes and gentle doses of cuteness. On top of that, the voice talents bring the characters to life and then some. Although I have lots of great things to say about these movies, they do tend to fall into typical and predictable territories. Despite that, the movies have enough elements in them to keep the audience rooted in their seats. Highly recommended for the whole family. The adults will find it just as appealing as the kids.
