ONWARD (2020) Reviews

The story is set in a world with no humans, only elves, trolls and sprites. The film centers on two teenage elf brothers whose father died when they were too young to remember him. But thanks to the little magic still left in the world, the boys embark on a quest that will allow them a chance to spend one last magical day with their father.

RELEASE DATE: March 6, 2020
STUDIO: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios
DIRECTOR: Dan Scanlon
MPAA RATING: PG
SCREENWRITER: Dan Scanlon
STARRING: Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Octavia Spencer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
GENRE: Animation, Fantasy, Family

Onward is a wonderfully written campaign for Dungeons and Dragons. Rogue Barley and Wizard Ian embark on a journey to connect with their father, the most important man in their life, their father Wilden Lightfoot. However, this man remains a mystery, because he passes away before his sons have a chance to know him. No amount of science is able to save him, but magic has the potential to bring him back.

Even for a day.

With no experience in magic, Ian botches the spell leaving the reincarnation of his father only half completed. He is unable to see, hear, or communicate. Wilden is doomed to a half-life. Every passing moment is a moment they cannot show or tell anything to him, nor can they hear or see anything from him. The pressure is on to restore Wilden's body before their one day runs dry.

What most tragic is that their most important quest in life, their journey to adulthood, happens directly in front of him, but he remains blissfully unaware. Ian becomes the first wizard in centuries, and Barley realizes his need for responsibility. How can they communicate that to their blind, deaf father?

Though they run short on time to communicate their rapid development, they may still be able to use it for the good of the world. Together, Barley and Ian bring magic back into the world. They do so by honoring their past, instead of forgetting it.

Wilden Lightfoot sparks that honor inside of them by setting them on their journey. On that journey, he remains with them in spirit. Yet, they achieve their goal with their own skill and knowledge. Against surmountable odds, they reach the end of their journey and come out with a grand understanding of their divine purpose.