I’ve always said a great conclusion can help me forgive many problems I have with a film. Pixar’s newest animated adventure, Onward,  is my latest example of this. It’s an adventure through a fantastical world with mystical characters and daunting obstacles, but it’s the emotional conclusion that makes the experience worthwhile.

Onward finds two brothers bestowed with a gift from their late father on the youngest brother’s 16th birthday. The gift: a staff that can summon their father for one day. When the spell goes wrong and only the bottom half of their father is conjured, the brothers go on a journey to complete the spell before the day ends.

While the events of the film can get wild and whimsical, the road to adventure in Onward feels worn and already well traversed. And the bizarre premise isn’t quite unique enough to add anything new to the adventure genre or coming-of-age theme the film is trying to capitalize on.

However, nit-picking aside, Onward certainly boasts moments of fun and laugh-out-loud jokes that the film’s intended audiences will likely appreciate. But the real magic in Onward is its highly emotional conclusion that completely changes what you may have thought the movie was about.

There are plenty of moviegoers who will leave Onward satisfied. While it’s not on par with Pixar’s greatest hits, I’d consider it an above average animated film. But much like the partially incarnated father,  everything leading up to that revealing moment is half developed.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 1 | What does this mean?