Reading Time: 3minutes
Do you still have the magic, Bingers? In the latest movie from Disney and Pixar, Onward, we’ll realize that we still got the magic, it’s just that no one bothers to do it anymore when there is a much more convenient way. And because of that, we have been so gotten used to the familiar and what’s right in front of us. In the world of Onward where the centaurs, pixies, and elves are no longer how we used to know them, lies an unexpected treasure waiting to be uncovered. We joined the adventure of the Lightfoot brothers and found ourselves falling off our seats from laughing one second and sobbing after.
Last February 21, Walt Disney Philippines invited us to the special advanced screening of #OnwardPH at the IMAX Theatre in SM Mall of Asia. I came with my partner, in which he was more excited than I am. Don’t get me wrong, I too was looking forward to the movie but he was more giddy to see it. Lo and behold, he told me after the movie that he cried several times. Curious? Here is our review:
Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) grew up not having a father figure. His father died when he was still young and can barely keep a memory of him. Meanwhile, his brother Barley Lightfoot (voiced by Chris Pratt) was lucky enough to create memories with him. The brothers were raised by their feisty mom Laurel (voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Their suburban life is basically a reflection of how it is in the real world. With one difference. Instead of humans, we see characters of the fairy tales we grew up in- fairy, unicorn, pixie, elves, cyclops, etc. These magical creatures have somehow lost the magic and are instead living as we are- drowned in technology.
Contents
Of Magic and Technology
The world setting of Onward is a great example of the Pixar magic. It is fresh and brilliant! The way it talked about the irony of losing magic in exchange of convenience was smartly done! Imagine the majestic beast dragon now turning into a house pet in this film’s world! That’s perfect!
And now, scaling back to our main characters- the Lightfoot brothers. On Ian’s birthday, their mom brought out a gift from their dad. It was a staff that possesses magic that can bring back their dad for one whole day. It may not be much but for Ian who only has memories of him in photos and tape recordings, it is everything. But of course, things did not go as planned and that was when a magical jewel exploded and disrupted the magic. This sets them off to an adventure to find a new one to finish the spell and see their dad for one last time.
Disney Pixar’s Onward is another great addition to the animation studio’s roster of clever and heartwarming movies perfect for the family. Yes, this one may look like it’s aiming for the kids but it is us, the millennials and adults, who were hit the hardest. Its message about finding what isn’t there and accepting what is transcends people of different origin.
Director: Dan Scanlon
Cast: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt
Binge-level: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Youtube and Facebook for updates
