AC9: Random Movie Review - Onward

So recently I watched a YouTube video where a guy was talking of his experience seeing a Pixar film at a cinema full of children. He said that while the film in question was good, none of the children at the cinema were engaged into it. This does speak true for a lot of children and family films where only the wacky and fast-paced ones tend to be the most engaging. This is because young children tend to not pay attention to their surroundings and have a short attention span. But by making a film with characters that are wacky and crazy, children pay attention more. Now I'm not really talking from experience when I say that, but it is something most studios need to be aware of when making films for that demographic. Sure most adults may get a kick out of many Disney films in this day and age, but remember the demographic that you the studio are tailoring to. So this film to me feels like a personal story from its director that adds its own flair by being a fantasy film set in modern times. The last time I saw a film like this was Bright which wasn't great, but was the most recent film until this one to use that idea and make something out of it. So let's see what this is about:

Often in most films like this, it is the magic that conquers all. But in a change from the norm, magic in this film is abandoned in favour of new technologies that are close to being identical to the technology we get. The film is focused on two elf brothers. One called Ian (voiced by MCU Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland) is about to become 16 years old, but has spent most of his life lacking confidence and never got to meet his dad with the only thing he has of him being a tape recording of his voice. The other called Barley (voiced by master builder and galaxy defender Chris Pratt), is more confident and has a thing for Dungeons and Dragons and Magic The Gathering like card games. On Ian's birthday, he receives something his father left for him which the brothers learn may be their only chance to get their dad back even if it's for a limited time. So the pair go on a journey to find a mythical stone that can bring their dad back, but things may not be as they seem.

This is a good film. Its a love letter to those who enjoy fantasy and especially those who enjoy fantasy card games like the ones mentioned above. The chemistry between Holland and Pratt is great (which of course was expected as both had been in the MCU together previously) and it's a fun, but emotionally driven film. It may not get many kids engaged (well maybe except for Barley and some other characters), but adults will have a good time here for sure. 9/10