Onward: what matters most, is it the journey or the destination? Whenever the stars align, it results in the best scenario of both journey and destination. Dan Scanlon’s animated adventure doesn’t quite reach those heights; the journey is entertaining, but it’s not all that novel; the emotional payoff at the end, however, is extremely satisfying. The reason for that is that the two main characters are easy to care for, as is their relationship, and their goal is clear and relatable. The vocal performances of Tom Holland (as the young insecure brother) and Chris Pratt (as the golden-hearted perhaps-loser older brother) go a long way, as well; Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer are also nice presences. The film displays a good sense of humour but avoids being topical. The animation is colorful and competent, both in character design and world design, but ultimately not very inventive or distinctive.