Original, heartfelt sibling adventure about love and loss.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Story centers around main characters' deceased father (who died of unspecified illness) coming back to life for one day. Parental death, a common element of children's films, can be upsetting to some viewers. The boys' dad does come back, but only from waist down. His half-body might initially scare really young kids, but it becomes a funny and bittersweet situation. Both Barley and Ian experience sad moments. A climactic fight sequence involves a giant, fire-breathing flying monster that destroys everything in its path, endangers several characters. But (spoiler alert) no one dies or is seriously hurt except for the father (who was already dead). Some peril/tension and creepy settings, including sequence with skeletons, flying arrows, attack by deadly gelatinous cube. The brothers literally choose the Path of Peril at one point. Chase scene in which motorcycle-riding pixies pursue the brothers, sometimes wielding weapons (like a broken-off glass bottle, a mace). Pixies jump on Ian as he tries to drive; van ends up crashing. Characters use a sword. Ian nearly has a fatal fall. Cory the Manticore wrecks her restaurant when she loses her temper, destroying things, spewing fire. A character paralyzes a pawnbroker. Yelling, accusations, arguments.
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Nothing in the film, but all Disney/Pixar films have off-screen merchandise tie-ins, including apparel, toys, and more. Some real-life products have parody versions in the movie, like a game called Prance Prance Revolution.
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Laurel and her boyfriend, a centaur, are occasionally affectionate. They flirt a little, kiss once, and hug. A ringtone is clearly romantic. Another character mentions her girlfriend.
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Occasional insult language like "screw up," "lazy," "weirdo," "nut," "bonkers," and "beast," as well as a couple of dangling exclamations like "what the ... ," "son of a ... ," and "dang."
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Promotes brotherhood, teamwork, perseverance, communication, resilience. Ian and Barley's relationship must overcome differences of opinion and disagreements. Encourages sometimes taking risks, believing in yourself, learning when to be assertive and fierce, acknowledging magic of family love, adventure, trying new things. Suggests that overreliance on technology removes some of the wonder and magic from life.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Ian is a smart, thoughtful teen who wants, more than anything, to spend time with the father he never knew. Barley is a dedicated, caring, protective older brother who encourages Ian to discover his powers, defends him from dangerous situations. They're both courageous, perseverant. Ian learns to take more risks, while Barley learns value of teamwork, accountability. Their mom, Laurel, is strong, brave, wants the best for her sons, willingly puts herself in dangerous situations to try to help/save them. Even through lens of this being a fantasy world, supporting characters are diverse -- many skin colors, body sizes/types, etc.
Educational Value
very little
Not intended as educational, but does teach about role-playing games and medieval fantasy worlds.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Onward is Pixar's animated fantasy adventure about two elf brothers -- Ian (voiced by Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) -- whose long-deceased father returns to life for a single day. But when only his bottom half appears, the brothers must go on a thrilling quest to complete the spell that brought him back. They experience peril and danger, go up against fire-breathing creatures, and find themselves in tense situations (like a car chase with angry pixies). The climactic fight scene involves large-scale destruction and sacrifice, but it's somewhat offset by the emotional nature of the brothers' desperation to have some time with their dad. The fact that the plot hinges on a dead father (and his half-body, when it returns) might disturb some young viewers, but ultimately it's more bittersweet than painfully sad. Language is pretty tame and mostly consists of insults ("weirdo") and words like "dang" and "what the ... " (cut off). Two adult characters are in a dating relationship, and another mentions her girlfriend. Families who watch the film are bound to appreciate its messages about teamwork, getting along with siblings, and acting selflessly and courageously. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Dead father (overdone).
Kids have a day to spend with their dad through the aid of a magic spell.
Through an unsuccessful spell, the kids go on a journey with their dead father's wandering legs to find the secret ingredient to complete the spell and see the rest of his body.
Our kids (ages 11 and 9) cried for much of this movie and have had to go through numerous conversations of reassurance and support.
Can we stop with death in children's movies for a few months and allow them to just be kids? This movie had the potential, with all of it's wonder and magic, to be a hit, unfortunately, through morbid dead pants and a swift dose of grief and loss, it hit rock bottom in this house.
Onward is a great film. It shows the importance of dad in the life of two brothers and emphasizes the importance of family. I do recommend a higher age rating as there is magic and spells in the movie. Depending on your parenting philosophy, this can be problematic. I would wait until your child is old enough to know that the magic in these movies is not real and that it is not to be sought after. Other than that, great film.
What's the Story?
Pixar's fantasy adventure ONWARD takes place in a fantasy world in which elves, trolls, centaurs, minotaurs, and other creatures co-exist in a traditional suburban setting. Technology has replaced magic in most folks' lives (turns out it's easier to flip a switch than cast a spell), but on his 16th birthday, introverted Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) receives a once-in-a-lifetime gift from his mom (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Ian's long-dead father has left him and his older brother, Barley (Chris Pratt), a wizard's staff and a magical spell that will bring their dad back to life for one day. But when something goes wrong and only his bottom half appears, the Lightfoot brothers embark on a quest to find a way to complete the enchantment and spend time with their father before time runs out.
Onward is a crowd-pleasing and surprisingly moving adventure. There's a novelty akin to that of Zootopia in seeing non-human characters inhabit a familiar, human-like suburban universe. In the world of Onward, feral unicorns eat trash like raccoons, dragons can be pets, and a millennia-old manticore (Octavia Spencer) runs a Medieval Times-meets-Chuck E. Cheese novelty restaurant. Holland and Pratt do a winning job as brothers who are opposites but still close. Pratt's Barley is particularly charming: He's an exuberant, role-playing game aficionado who believes deeply in the magic left in their world. Holland's Ian is a lot like his Peter Parker: earnest and reluctant to embrace the powers he exhibits. And Louis-Dreyfus is an ideal pick as a comedic but courageous mom who won't stop until she's protected her sons.
The first non-sequel Pixar movie since 2017's Coco, Onward is a heartfelt movie that, like Coco, deals with loss and death in an accessible way. Although the fantasy-adventure plot is fairly straightforward, the story may make even adults (especially those who've lost a parent) shed some tears. The emotional beats aren't quite as tear-jerking as they were in Coco, but Onward is still incredibly poignant. Who wouldn't be willing to do anything and everything to spend one day with a lost loved one? Viewers who value sibling tales will appreciate that the two leads are brothers who must overcome various challenges, take care of their (half-) father, and protect each other again and again. Onward may not top a list of Pixar's best-of-the-best, but it's sweet and optimistic and a reminder that everyone could use a little more magic in their lives.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the potentially sad elements of Onward. Why do you think so many kid-targeted movies involve dead parents? What's the impact on young viewers of movies about death, grief, and loss? Do you think watching movies about those things can help kids learn to grapple with them in real life?
Discuss the movie's themes of brotherhood, mourning/loss, overcoming hardship, and reconnecting with your inner self. Why is it important that some of the characters reclaim their natures?
Have you watched or read other stories about quests? What does Onward have in common with them? What sets it apart? Why do you think quest stories are so popular?
Do you think the movie is trying to make a point about technology use and digital well-being? What role does technology play in the characters' lives? How about magic?
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
