--- title: "Onward: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/onward/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/onward" critics_score: 63 critics_reviews: 31 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Onward (2020): what the critics said Critics' score 63 from 31 reviews: 17 positive, 8 mixed, 6 negative. 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. ## Empire — Ben Travis Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/onward/) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 4/5. 6 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/onward-review-pixars-rainbow-portrait-is-the-picture-of-progress-a4379836.html) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Rating 3/4/3. 3 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/onward) ## Radio Times — Trevor Johnston Rating 4/5. The review calls the film a sprightly animated adventure. It praises Tom Holland’s voice performance and the contrast between the mismatched brothers. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-uf7ts6/onward/) ## The Guardian — Steve Rose Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/21/onward-review-pixar-tom-holland-chris-pratt) ## Total Film — Jamie Graham Rating 4/5. 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/onward-review-pixar/) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating B. 21 February 2020. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/onward-review-pixar-berlin-1202212560/) ## RogerEbert.com — Brian Tallerico Rating 3/4. 5 March 2020. The review finds the film charming but less emotionally forceful than Pixar’s best. It praises the sibling relationship and the imaginative fantasy world. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/onward-movie-review-2020) ## Sight and Sound — Lou Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 29 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/onward-review-pixars-fantasy-quest-uncovers-brotherly-love) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-02-21/onward-review-chris-pratt-tom-holland-pixar) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating B-. 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/pixar-loses-a-little-of-the-magic-with-onward-1841834499) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 3/5. 25 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/onward) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/onward-review-tom-holland-chris-pratt-1203506275/) ## Slant Magazine — Mark Jenkins Rating 2/4. 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-with-onward-pixar-forsakes-imagination-for-familiarity/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/onward-1280227/) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/onward-berlin-review/5147280.article) ## The New Yorker — Rumaan Alam Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 23 April 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/onward-the-silly-cynical-pixar-movie-that-strikes-a-nerve-during-quarantine) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/pixars-onward-is-boring-and-empty-but-chris-pratt-is-good.html) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating A-. 4 April 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://collider.com/onward-review-pixar/) ## Film Stories — Mark Harrison Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/onward-review-pixar-does-dungeons-dragons/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 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. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/onward-review-pixar-disney-tom-holland/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a31033547/onward-review-tom-holland-chris-pratt/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 3.5/5. 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/onward-review-pixar-movie/) ## Paste — Will Leitch Rating B-. 6 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/onward/onward-movie-review) ## The Ringer — Rob Harvilla Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2020/03/06/movies/onward-review-pixar) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be verified from the provided text. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/onward-review-pixar-20200304/) ## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn Rating ★★★. 24 February 2020. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/onward-berlin-2020) ## /Film — Josh Spiegel Rating 5/10. 21 February 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/572462/onward-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/onward-film-review-pixar-chris-pratt-tom-holland/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 5 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/onward-2020-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## Consequence — Blake Goble Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 4 March 2020. 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. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2020/03/film-review-onward/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/onward.md