Love, loss, tears & trash unicorns.

Judged purely on financial terms, it’s easy to understand the thinking behind Pixar’s recent sequel obsession, however, it doesn’t half tear the studio further and further away from the creative fires that fuelled its early endeavours.

While we’ll give them a pass for the first three Toy Story instalments, due of course to their universal awesomeness, it was with Cars 2’s release that the sequel floodgates really opened, as Monsters University, Finding Dory, Cars 3, Incredibles 2, and Toy Story 4 began exposing cracks in the studio’s previously impeccable record. Of course, this is Pixar we’re talking about here, where even the lows are pretty damn high by other studios’ standards, but it became abundantly clear that the thirst for original storytelling needed recapturing if they were to remain animation’s top dog.

Thank the animation gods then that 2020 appears the year Pixar got their original mojo back. With the likes of Inside Out and Coco providing some of their most creatively inspired efforts of the last few years, it’s clear that Pixar’s spark has always been there, but with two original efforts released in a single year for the first time since 2015, this feels like the moment the famous studio’s magic finally returned.

In a suburban fantasy world where mythical creatures have long since dispensed with the need to wield magic, two teenage elf brothers, Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) Lightfoot, set out on a journey to rediscover the lost art of enchantment. Hoping to harness this magic to temporarily bring their father back from the dead, Ian and Barley must overcome their quest’s many trials, as well as their seemingly insurmountable differences, for one last meeting with the dad they barely knew.

They may play themselves off as the all smiling, family friendly House of Mouse, but don’t let the genial façade fool you, Disney are stone-cold parent killers. Whether on screen or off it, Disney have been in the parent snuffing game since the dawn of the studio, yet, as ruthless as that sounds, it’s a narrative trump card that rarely misses the mark.

While nowhere near as prolific as their parent company, Pixar have nonetheless indulged in this plot devise now and again through the years, ranging from the subtle (I mean, where was Andy’s dad in Toy Story?) to the more overt with the likes of Finding Nemo. Yet, they have rarely been more explicit than in Onward, where the absent parent angle is deployed to turn a seemingly lightweight fantasy adventure into something so much more.

Injecting its broad fantastical premise with the emotional wallop of two brothers determined to reunite with their late father, even just for one day, ensures that Onward has a rock-solid emotional foundation to build upon. It’s this kind of emotive depth that made Pixar’s name and one that sets them apart from the animation crowd, where many rivals would take the easy route and lean in on the action and adventure, the studio are gallant enough to venture down a far more perilous path.

With Ian and Barley’s absent father utilised as the film’s narrative catalyst, Onward’s mortality themes are certainly on the heavy side and may be a little too harsh for the very young among the audience, yet they are certainly universal and will hit home for almost everyone watching. The film’s themes are drawn in broad brush strokes, as love, loss, regret, family, tradition, and the power of self-belief are thrown out there, however, in classic Pixar style, all are handled with a nuance and depth that many studios would kill for.

The plot itself is a simple buddy road trip one that deviates very little from the genre’s well-worn path, as lessons are learnt and relationships are forged along the way, however, the writing does so well by its characters and emotional stakes that it’s easy to look past these narrative road bumps. In truth, the quest itself isn’t quite as adventurous or as humorous as it promises to be, however, like many road trips, this is less a physical journey than a personal one, with Onward’s relatively muted escapades counterbalanced by a significant and satisfying emotional heft.

As is so often the way with Pixar, character is everything with Onward, as the film gives far more reason to care about a pair of blue-skinned teenage elf siblings than it has any real right to. Naturally, any buddy adventure will sink or swim on its core pairing and Onward excels in focusing almost everything on the Lightfoot brothers, placing them at the heart of the entire narrative.

For anyone who grew up with a sibling, the contentious central relationship between Ian and Barley will be a familiar one, as they bicker and banter their way through their quest, and it’s in this back and forth rapport that Onward really pops. This care and attention certainly isn’t something that many likeminded animations out there can claim, yet this brotherly relationship is a refreshingly natural one, hitting some very poignant, true-to-life beats along the way.

It’s a relationship that could’ve easily felt flat, but is ultimately helped along by a script that plays to the odd couple vibe perfectly, as it leans into the mismatched dynamic between Ian’s nervous introversions and Barley’s lug-headed brashness, helped along by the lovable charm of the voice cast. Bolstered by an amiable ensemble that includes the always welcome tones of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer, the central casting of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt is an inspired one that carries the film a long way.

Beyond its admirably well drawn characters, however, Onward stumbles with the world they inhabit. For a film that hangs its hat on its fantasy angle, there’s a disappointing lack of depth to it all, as we only scratch the surface of the world building potential Onward promises.

If there’s one thing Pixar have mastered above all else, it’s the ability to construct entire fully fleshed out worlds that, regardless of how farfetched or fantastical they may be, nevertheless feel authentic and lived in. Unfortunately, while there’s definitely a lot to admire in the suburban fantasy world created, it’s all rather one dimensional when compared to previous Pixar efforts.

There really is so much potential in the weird and wonderful world of New Mushroomton and beyond, yet it never feels fully realised, as despite meeting a few entertaining side characters such as Octavia Spencer’s Manticore along the way, Ian and Barley’s paternal quest across their mythical homeland feels somewhat lacking. In an understandable attempt to concentrate on its protagonists, Pixar’s customary immersion goes missing as it avoids diving deep into the potential eccentricities of the environment at their disposal.

Visually, there’s much to admire in what Onward has to offer. On a par with Pixar’s usual high standards, the film’s animation may not be as breath-taking as the studio’s very best efforts, yet it certainly looks the part, with some rather nice fantastical flourishes along the way.

Big, broad, and colourful, there’s an undoubted magical charm to Onward’s aesthetic that’s impossible to resist, as the film’s vibrancy will enthral audience members young and old. Hitting a tone somewhere between Monsters, Inc. and Brave, Onward represents Pixar in broad appeal mode, as it balances its melancholic themes with slapstick and a cavalier sense of adventure that feels tailor-made for the widest possible audience.

The film’s writing and humour may not be as sharp as it could’ve been but there’s a lot to appreciate there, with a decent balance of broad and nuanced humour struck. Between the Weekend at Bernie’s knockabout fun involving Ian, Barley, and their dad’s legs and the clever sight gags that pepper the entire film, there’s something there for everyone.

While the fear with something like this is that the jokes overshadow the characters, the broad humour actually works well to complement the film’s emotional impact, ultimately elevating Onward beyond its humble appearance. While the film’s bright humour and colourful world will draw you in, it’s Onward’s emotional impact that will keep you spellbound.

Onward may not be top-tier Pixar, yet that shouldn’t take anything away from what is a hugely enjoyable journey. With colourful, enchanting animation and a charming voice cast, Onward makes up for its simplicities with an absorbing, affable charm that explores its mature subject matter while keeping an eye on the need to entertain in a way only Pixar can. Smart, fantastical, and packing a real poignant punch, Onward isn’t perfect but it’s a whole load of fun and marks a welcome return to original material for a studio that was beginning to lose its magic.