Monday Movie Review: Onward
We finally got around to watching Onward this weekend, and I’m glad we had the chance to watch it at home rather than in the theater. Squirt was not super into this one and I think it would have been tough for him to stay focused during a theater viewing, so it was good he was able to run off and do his own thing rather than me having to tell him to be quiet every five seconds. For reference, Squirt is almost six. I don’t think this movie is really that great for any kids under the age of nine or ten, personally, just based on subject matter.
Ian (voiced by my sweet baby angel Tom Holland) is an elf who is turning sixteen, meaning he is now a man according to his customs. Ian lives with his mom (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and his older brother Barley (voiced by Chris Pratt) in a town of magical creatures who have given up their magic in favor of modern technology. Ian’s dad died before he was born and so when his mom tells him she has a special gift for him from his dad, he’s elated. All Ian has ever wanted was to feel a connection to his dad. Turns out the gift is a wizard staff, along with a spell that can bring someone back from the dead for twenty-four hours. Ian is able to perform the spell, but it fails halfway through, producing just the legs of the dad he’s never met. Ian and Barley embark on a quest to find a stone needed to complete the spell, but by the time they’ve managed to get what they need, there’s only a few minutes left in the twenty-four hour period. Of course, it’s never been about meeting the dad, it’s been about the journey of the two brothers, and the closure they both need to heal and move on.
I’m kind of conflicted about this one. On the one hand, like all Pixar movies really, it’s a beautiful story about family and relationships. On the other hand, a lot about it felt off to me. I have never lost a parent, so I don’t know how I feel about the idea of getting to see that parent for just a few more minutes, or meet the parent a kid has never had a chance to know, only for it not to work out. Because (spoiler alert) it doesn’t really work out. Barley gets to talk to the dad for about two minutes, and Ian never gets to speak with him at all. I can’t speak to whether the journey and subsequent disappointment are really all that healthy, but I can see how for a kid who has lost a parent, this movie might not be a great one to watch.
I liked the growth of Ian’s character as he became more independent and willing to stick up for himself, and I liked that he realized how Barley had become a father figure to him as he was growing up and was there for him all along. But probably the biggest issue I had with the movie was the treatment of the mom, Laurel. As soon as she finds out her sons have gone on a potentially dangerous quest, she sets off to find them and help them. Lying, putting herself in harm’s way, and slaying a motherfuckin’ dragon to protect her sons. And there is basically ZERO acknowledgement of her intense devotion. Not even a “Thanks for slaying the dragon so I can talk to my dad for two minutes.” That rubbed me the wrong way, especially because despite not losing a parent, I did grow up with a single mother who had to be both parents, and I can’t imagine ever doing something like that to her.
It’s odd because in the past, I never would have hesitated to take my kid to a Disney or Pixar movie, but this one left me a little eh. I feel like I will want to screen some of the next ones before I show them to Squirt just to make sure. I don’t know. I guess the whole movie left me conflicted.
Overall Grade: B-
