‘Up’ and the Spirit of Adventure
Travel Blog • Eva Holland • 06.02.09 | 3:01 PM ET
After keeping tabs on the hype for the last couple of months, I finally made it to “Up” last night. The latest from Pixar, which tells the story of an old man finally living out his South American travel dreams, has been pleasing critics and owning the box office, so I was keen to get to the theater myself.
And the verdict? Well, a little bit mixed.
“Up” has Pixar’s trademark cocktail of top-notch animation, clever scripting that deftly mixes humor with heartstring-tugging, and a couple of goofy sidekicks for good measure. Still—and maybe the huge expectations that surrounded the film are partly to blame, here—I felt like something was missing. The story’s various arcs didn’t cohere into a clear whole the way that, say, “Finding Nemo” did. I enjoyed the movie, but I don’t know if its characters, its jokes and its finest animation sequences will really stay with me.
What will stay with me? The exciting sense of adventures-waiting-to-be-seized that infuses the movie, and its bittersweet accompaniment: the fear that we will wait too long to seize them, and then live with our regrets. The elderly Karl, a curmudgeonly widower and retired balloon salesman, is as unlikely an animated protagonist as I’ve ever seen, but I suspect that when I’ve forgotten all about the movie’s talking dogs, its (admittedly hilarious) geriatric fight sequences, or its visual take on the wilds of Venezuela, it’s his melancholic determination to turn things around that I’ll remember most.
Cheery? Not entirely. But worth seeing? For fans of old-fashioned, fantastical adventure, absolutely.
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Nomadic Matt 06.02.09 | 11:59 PM ET
Pixar is great but this doesn’t look so good….feels like cars all over again
Marissa Mayer 06.03.09 | 2:00 AM ET
Won’t stay with you? I’m surprised that anyone could have such a reaction to that movie! I actually just saw it this evening and found it totally worth the hype. And I’m not sure what you mean about the story arcs not cohering - I was quite satisfied with the pace of the movie and the resolution. And speaking of heartstrings, I definitely cried once (or twice, or three times). And yet, I found myself with a big smile at the end.
Adventure Travel 06.03.09 | 1:33 PM ET
“UP” is was one of the most genuinely touching and intelligent movies I’ve ever seen.The part where they’re constructing the nursery and then crying in the doctor’s office tore me apart
Eva Holland 06.03.09 | 2:32 PM ET
@Matt - Don’t get me wrong, it was very good. And I didn’t see any similarities to Cars, really, apart from a canyon-y landscape.
@Marissa - Re: the story arcs, without giving too much away to folks who haven’t seen it, I guess I didn’t feel like the different threads (Kevin and her babies, Russell’s Dad, Dug and the rest of the pack) quite came together. I loved the central Ellie-Karl story, but the rest felt like, I don’t know, maybe like distractions some of the time. And yes, I cried, too!
@Adventure Travel - Agreed. Heartbreaking.
custom travel experience 06.04.09 | 2:12 PM ET
I’ve yet to see the movie but from your description it sounds poignant, now I’m a bit hesitant to see it, being an old softie. Still it’s from Pixar, it has to be good. Cars might have failed because Pixar sets the bar high even for themselves.
Don 06.11.09 | 2:59 AM ET
I am truly flabbergasted at thisluke warm review. I suspect Eva must be under 40 without a sense of her mortality. As one who does legacy planning for families, I would nominate it for an Oscar.
It was truly both a coming of age story for the youngster and an end of live consonance for the elderly protagonist. It was fascinating for my granddaughter and a victory for adults faced with the old age reality that the dreams of our youth may really be “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers.”
This movie took us on a journey in the same way Ben Vereen guided me trhough Roots with the wonder of the Wizard of Oz. UP captured the spectrum of laughter, tears and finally fulfillment—all with the “true love” and laughter of “Second Hand Lions”. The film had a level of profound thought that left me saying “Wow!” as I walked out. Two weeks later I am still amazed. Wow!
Gent 06.11.09 | 7:09 PM ET
If you have ever been a happy child- see it! If you have ever dreamed—see it! If you have ever loved- see it! WOW!