I doubted this movie would be bad, it's Pixar after all and they're basically the only studio who can guarantee a good animated experience these days. And while Onward is certainly a good movie with spectacular animation, a decent plot and a knockout ending, the rest of the film feels strangely controlled and contained. It feels like there's a potential masterpiece here that's trapped in the confines of a good movie. The jokes worked for the most part and I'd say that Pixar's comedy has definitely improved overtime, but the rest of the film just doesn't feel traditionally Pixar. I didn't go in expecting to compare it to films like The Incredibles and Toy Story, but was still underwhelmed. The characters are fine and the voice cast do a good job, and the plot manages to function without much fault, but there is so much potential with this idea and this kind of film specifically that just isn't fully realised. I will say however, hear me out, that the ending is one of the best endings to a Pixar movie I have ever seen. It's fantastic, and if the previous acts of the movie kept up with that kind of quality then this would be one of my favourite Pixar films, without a shadow of a doubt.
Review of Onward
