Onward is a magical story filled with brotherly love

Onward is a magical story about two brothers on a quest to finish a spell. Pixar’s newest animated, adventurous film is now streaming on Disney Plus!

Onward is set in a world similar to our own but with magical inhabitants like elves, centaurs, and sprites. As society grew, the once magical world started relying on electricity and modern comforts instead of help from neighborly wizards. Pixar’s newest story follows two elf brothers, Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt), on a quest to spend time with their dad for just one more day.

Ian and Barley’s dad passed away when Ian was a baby. Ian doesn’t have any memories of his dad, and during his 16th birthday, the only thing he craves is creating memories and having conversations with his dad. Their mom decides it’s time to give Ian a gift from his dad. Ian unwraps a wizard’s staff packaged with a visitation spell. With some trial and error, the brothers bring back their dad. Well, they bring back their dad’s legs. They quickly embark on a quest to find a gem that will allow them to cast the spell again and bring back their dad’s entire body. But they only have 24 hours from when they first cast the spell because their dad will vanish again after the day finishes.

Ian is a very awkward teenager who doesn’t have any friends. He lacks self-confidence and is petrified of driving. His older brother, Barley, is the complete opposite. Barley is loud, confident, and very obnoxious. But he loves his brother dearly and plays a significant part in their adventure to complete the spell. Their mom, Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), finds herself trying to protect her sons during their travels. She’s supportive of their journey but worried they will run into trouble. Along the way to help her boys, she befriends The Manticore (Octavia Spencer), who offers some much-needed assistance. Laurel’s boyfriend, Officer Bronco (Mel Rodriguez), offers his help too.

The imagery of Onward is stunning. The houses in New Mushroomton have mushroom-shaped roofs. People have pet dragons instead of dogs. There are mysterious, foggy restaurants that are now family-friendly restaurants instead of quest-seeking taverns. During their quest, the brothers travel through lush forests with towering beanstalks nearby and beautifully peaked mountains that seem unreachable in their beat-up, determined van. There are even some scenes that seem shot for shot from Indiana Jones.

Onward is similar to Zootopia in where the audience sees non-human characters living in a human-like suburban world. It’s a very entertaining crowd-pleasing film that may bring a few tears to people who have experienced the loss of a parent. Brotherly love is abundant too. Onward is an emotional ride, but you’ll enjoy the fantasy-filled journey.

Onward is streaming on Disney Plus now. What did you think of Pixar’s newest film?