Up reviewed

WALL-E was always going to be a hard act to follow, given the critical and commercial success achieved by the touching tale of a lonely little robot who has a powerful, positive effect on everyone he meets. Animation studio Pixar, however, are not ones for resting on their laurels or retreading the same thematic turf, and the result is Up, which is no less enjoyable than WALL-E, but an entirely different cinematic experience. In fact it can be argued that Up is the most moving and mature film Pixar has ever made.

Up centres on geriatric widower Carl Fredricksen, who, despite his lust for adventure, has seen life pass him by. Before it’s too late he decides to realise the life-long dream he and his wife shared of visiting Paradise Falls in a remote region of South America. Thumbing his nose at the authorities who want to flatten his home and force him into a retirement village, Carl attaches hundreds of helium balloons to his house and takes off, setting course for South America. Unfortunately for Carl, his dream takes a bit of a knock when he realises Russell, an over-enthusiastic young Wilderness Explorer, has stowed along for the ride – driven by a desire to earn his "Assisting the Elderly" merit badge. Once Carl and Russell land in South America this odd couple embark on a rousing adventure and encounter an assortment of colourful characters in the process.


Up is a film of striking contrasts. On the one hand the sight of a house suspended by multi-coloured balloons is what you’d expect to find in an animated family film. It’s a heart-warming and wonder-inducing image that clearly has its roots in childhood imagination. On the other hand Up deals predominantly with distinctly un-childlike issues like letting dreams stagnate, grief stemming from the loss of a loved one, and the need to eventually let go.

Sometimes Up’s contrasts even meet back to back. Early on in the film there is an emotionally devastating, dialogue-free montage that flips between (literally) colourful scenes that radiate happiness and contentment, and grey moments that crush the viewer’s heart with the sadness they depict.

Moments like these, and the fact that Up is the first Pixar film to show blood, are a good indication that Pixar is operating at an entirely new level of thematic and emotional maturity. It’s no surprise then that Up was chosen as the first ever animated film to open the Cannes Film Festival. And personally I’m not ashamed to admit I have never cried as hard or as frequently while watching an animated movie as I did while watching Up.


Of course this then raises the question how much enjoyment very young children will get out of the film? There are no fart or poop jokes, and the action scenes are exhilarating but not overly frenetic or wacky – as they can be in animated films from other studios these days. Some of the children at my screening did seem to grow quite bored and fidgety during Up’s quieter moments.

This said, the film is clearly designed to entertain viewers of all ages – if Carl and his issues are identifiable for adults, the character of Russell is intended to be a relatable figure for children watching the film. Basically, as long as your little one does not require the basest of humour to have a good time, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments for kids and grownups alike. And these moments are typically provided by Dug, the talking dog and his fellow pack mates, all of whom wear amusingly overly precise translator collars, which expose the audience to the canines’ mental processes. Pet lovers will thoroughly enjoy these scenes.

It’s also worth remembering that Up is a good old fashioned adventure in the mould of the Lost World and the original Indiana Jones films. It’s difficult to resist being swept up in the action, particularly when it takes place against such a beautifully depicted, exotic backdrop.


Expect Up to be a very strong contender for Best Animated Feature Film at next year’s Academy Awards. You owe it to yourself to see the film, even if you traditionally have a built-in prejudice towards animation. Up is one of the best and most moving movie experiences in a year that has otherwise been dominated by the flawed to mediocre.

Out of interest, Up is preceded by the highly enjoyable and heartfelt animated short Partly Cloudy, which seeks to answer the all-important question: just where do storks get babies from when it’s delivery time? Don’t get to the cinema late or you’ll miss out on the imaginative revelation.