Most critics lean towards a qualified welcome for Onward, with praise clustering around the brothers’ relationship and the voice performances of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt. The family drama gives the fantasy adventure much of its warmth, and many reviews find the emotional payoff persuasive despite familiar storytelling. The father’s half-present physical form also draws praise for its comic possibilities. For its supporters, the film’s sincerity makes up for its limited surprises.
The spread is wide, however, and even favourable reviews often place it below Pixar’s stronger work. Reservations centre on a predictable quest, thin characterisation and sentiment that sometimes feels forced. Critics also disagree about the visuals, finding either inventive suburban fantasy or a shortage of imagination. Vulture admires the designs and Pratt’s performance but finds the film tiresome and emotionally hollow; The New Yorker goes further in treating its pursuit of tears as cynical.
E
Empire
21 February 2020 · Ben Travis
85*
The critic finds Onward a joyous, heartfelt and highly entertaining Pixar adventure, even if it breaks little new ground. They particularly praise its tightly balanced storytelling, which brings adventure, comedy and emotional arcs together.
O'Sullivan finds the film warm and moving despite its implausible storytelling. She praises its affectionate portrayal of atypical families, especially the brothers’ search for their father.
Strong finds Onward underwhelming, with weak characters and little of Pixar’s usual emotional resonance. She particularly faults its lack of visual invention and says the Pixar magic is missing.
Rose finds Onward a sincere, quietly moving return to Pixar’s old magic. He particularly praises the brothers’ emotional growth and the delicate resolution of their reunion with their father.
Graham finds Onward a lively, funny adventure that grows more enchanting as it goes, though it falls short of Pixar’s very best. He praises its spellbinding animation and especially the physical comedy of the brothers’ half-present father.
Kohn calls the film a solid, big-hearted Pixar entry that falls short of the studio’s best. He praises its brotherly dynamic and says its emotional payoff turns familiar fantasy material into something affecting.
The review finds the film charming but less emotionally forceful than Pixar’s best. It praises the sibling relationship and the imaginative fantasy world.
Thomas finds the film an emotionally engaging, vividly compelling adventure, even if it is not among Pixar’s most revelatory works. He especially praises the brotherly relationship, supported by poignant writing and expressive performances from Tom Holland and Chris Pratt.
Chang finds Onward a touching, lovingly crafted oddity, though not among Pixar’s best. He praises its sly wit, dazzling invention and delicacy of feeling, while noting that some familiar conflicts and sentiment weaken it.
Dowd finds Onward ordinary and lacking Pixar’s usual magic, though its ending delivers genuine emotional catharsis. He especially praises the finale’s unexpected perspective on the film’s emotional payoff.
The critic finds the fantasy adventure enjoyable but uninspired, with Pixar’s usual magic somewhat diminished. The review singles out its central conceit as a sign of that lost spark.
The critic finds the film sweet and entertaining but overly derivative, placing it among the weaker Pixar films. He praises its playful visual world and the touching resolution of Ian’s relationship with his brother.
Jenkins finds the adventure lively but largely unsurprising and uninspired. He praises Pixar’s handling of depth, light, and shadow, while criticizing the familiar story and sentimental moral.
Rooney finds the film a letdown by Pixar standards, though not a total misfire. He praises the affecting final stretch, while faulting the predictable, unfunny quest and pedestrian visuals.
The critic finds that this Pixar road trip does not advance the company’s artistic fortunes. The accessible text singles out that failure to move Pixar forward as its central criticism.
Alam finds the film unsuccessful, though it strikes a nerve amid the emotional strain of quarantine. He criticizes its cynical, tear-seeking climax and its sidelining of the mother and characters of color.
Ebiri finds the film tiresome and emotionally hollow, with characters too thin to carry its story. He praises its witty, captivating designs and Chris Pratt’s lively performance as Barley.
Goldberg finds the film sweet, funny, and emotionally affecting, despite its familiar Pixar framework. He especially praises the imaginative fantasy-meets-modern setting and the central bond between the brothers.
The critic finds Onward familiar in places but ultimately distinctive and emotionally earned. They praise the oddball animation of the father’s disembodied legs and the film’s special final act.
The critic finds Onward a warm-hearted and emotionally effective Pixar adventure, though not quite among the studio’s finest. They especially praise the performances of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as the brothers, alongside the film’s heartfelt family drama.
The critic finds Onward emotionally affecting and entertaining, with some lack of nuance and a superfluous subplot. They praise the chemistry between Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as the heart of the film.
Crow finds Onward a clever, heartfelt family film despite its limitations, and says its third-act emotional payoff makes it irresistible. He praises the sensitivity with which the brothers’ anxieties and disappointments are presented.
Leitch finds the film uneven, with a plodding first half, but says it ultimately earns an emotional payoff. He praises its final twist and emotional resonance, as well as Chris Pratt’s performance.
Harvilla finds Onward a modest, tender Pixar film that delivers its emotional impact without being as devastating as the studio’s most tearful work. He praises the sweetness of the brothers’ quest and the unexpectedly moving scenes with their half-resurrected father.
Dunn finds Onward an original but overly familiar Pixar adventure that falls short of the studio’s best. He praises its bizarre premise and comic situations, while noting that its generic plot limits its magic.
The critic finds the film decent but disappointing by Pixar’s standards, calling it merely okay. He singles out Chris Pratt’s vocal performance as a highlight, while faulting the familiar story and surface-level character development.
The critic finds the film uneven but says its emotional ending helps it win over audiences. They praise the sibling chemistry between Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, while faulting the story’s logic and the film’s visual design.
Wilkinson finds the film an uneven, overcomplicated adventure that falls short of Pixar’s usual magic. She praises its clever ideas about magic becoming corporatised and the unexpectedly sweet resolution, but says the action crowds out more interesting material.
The critic finds the film a disappointing Pixar misfire, unmoved by its sentimental focus on the brothers’ father. They praise the imaginative suburban fantasy setting and production design, but say its creativity is sidelined by thin characters and a predictable story.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
