Now that Disney has brought forward Onward’s release straight to digital, it seems fitting that we get, well, onward with it.
2013’s Frozen was the sisterly love tale of femme friendship that created the eternal earworm ‘Let it Go’ and catapulted the sibling love story into the imagination of impressionable young minds. Disney Princesses could be saved with a sacrificial yet platonic love, and they could do it without the aid of their parents.
In a similar vein, Onward is the brotherly escapade in a world that has similarly concealed magic. Although New Mushroomton is full of mythical beasts and creatures, magic has been largely discarded in an existence that has made it obsolete. Think of The Incredibles without the supers. Tom Holland (Spiderman: Far From Home) voices elf Ian Lightfoot, a high schooler who lacks confidence and struggles to make friends. Ian idolises his deceased father Wilden, a legend of the town and a man he struggles to emulate. In Wilden’s absence, Ian looks for a sense of manhood and what it means to be courageous.
Under the same roof is his single mother, Laurel, and his affable but no-hoper brother Barley (Chris Pratt). Barley is one of the few true believers of magic and spends a majority of his time role-playing and casting figurative spells. It’s a role that’s made perfectly for Pratt.
On Ian’s 16th birthday, Laurel gifts him a staff with a gem encased inside. Passed down from Wilden, it also contains a “visitation” letter that promises to resurrect his father for a day. Ian inadvertently activates the spell, but the gem disintegrates, leaving just the eerie legs and feet of his father stumbling around. Ian and Barley then set off to find another gem that can fully restore their father, even if for just one day.
This is where the film has a sweet but unnerving feel. The half of his father that remains affectionately toe taps and shakes his legs around. He even has a sanguine dancing scene with the two boys as they park their Mystery Inc style van “Guinevere” on the side of the road. But his scarecrow-esque top half does seem to distract from the otherwise endearing tale. It almost seems cruel to have half a spell work, rather than learning acceptance of grief and sorrow.
There’s still plenty of fantasy lore to appease dungeons and dragons fans alike, as well as speaking to the classic Disney arc of shy kids overcoming obstacles with courage. Interesting character choices make for a delight as well. Rough pixie bikers have squeaky voices, and a manticore beast effectively retires from magic by running a family restaurant. It’s akin to the Zootopia universe, where beasts tame their primal instincts in favour of a more mellow existence. Pratt’s Barley holds an understanding of deep magic that’s laughed at, but reveals a childlike innocence and wonder that’s missed by many adults. Belief in one’s self is innate, but it also must be tested with cryptic scenarios and reliance on family members.
Above all, it reminds us to go bravely, facing steadfastly the obstacles ahead. In these uncertain times, it’s a much needed reminder.
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