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Review: Why Pixar's Up may be better than Ratatouille and Wall-E combined
Up may be Pixar's darkest animated adventure to date, but it's also the studio's most hopeful, and it's that combination of melancholy and exuberance that makes it such a terrific film. Indeed, it has already been called Pixar's best, although the more important distinction may be its remarkable, history-making cohesiveness, which even award winners like Ratatouille and Wall-E haven't surpassed.
But whether you're an academic looking for artistic legitimacy or an average moviegoer simply eager to embrace a colorful, captivating romp, Up is a wonderful film, and certainly destined to be one of the front-runners when critics compile best-of lists at the end of the year.
The film follows septuagenarian Carl Fredericks (Ed Asner), a retired widower who one day decides to literally take off for parts unknown by tying thousands of balloons to his house and lifting it into the sky. Inadvertently recruiting a wilderness scout named Russell (Jordan Nagai) who camped out on his no-longer-earthbound front porch, Carl travels to South America to see landscapes he and his late wife only dreamed of. But when he and Russell run across a strange bird who is being pursued by a pack of talking dogs and their determined, mysterious master, Carl begins to realize that running away from his old life appears to be the first step in finding a new family.
Admittedly, there is almost no synopsis, no matter how thorough, that adequately does justice to the surprises contained in Up. But that's also part of the film's charm: It manages to hold your attention long after you've stopped being able to figure out what's going to happen next. But this sense of mystery and unpredictability is most amazingly a byproduct not of the story's weaknesses but of its strengths; as suggested above, each scene builds upon the previous one and pays off its emotional potential, culminating in a climactic showdown that not only fulfills the demands of blockbuster-grade adventure but provides a catharsis and conclusion for the themes that have been explored in virtually every scene leading up to it.
While all of this sounds terribly intellectual, the film is anything but, and it works so well as a purely fun and funny piece of entertainment that you need only yield to its charms in order to appreciate how well executed almost every scene is. Carl himself is deeply human, interesting and complicated, but Russell is equally complex, precisely because the two of them have a natural friction that eventually evolves into a real and rewarding chemistry, whether they're stumbling through jungle underbrush, protecting a new traveling companion or hanging high in the sky as pups in planes dogfight (literally) around them.
Speaking of which, the dogs in the film are so brilliantly realized that I felt I was not only seeing but hearing real canines, thanks to character development that gives them both sophistication and comical simplicity. I defy anyone to react any less enthusiastically when they see Dug steal bites of hot dog from a human's plate and retreat, wounded, after Carl scolds him—much less any of the dozen times in which the film's animals find themselves inescapably distracted from the task at hand by the prospect of a nearby squirrel.
Ultimately, however, it's the humans who define the emotional dimensions of the story, and both give a depth to the breakneck action, and an authenticity to its boundless sentimentality. In other words, Up delivers like no other movie released this year thus far, operating as a massive summer movie and an intimate character study at the same time and with equal impact. Of course, one supposes if you yourself are easily distracted by something as superficial as a squirrel, it matters little that there are callbacks and references and payoffs that reward more attentive audience members. But be thankful that there are films that examine what means the most even after you've chased the thing that means the least, especially when—as in the case of this amazing, beautiful masterpiece—they can do both at the same time.
By phoenixjf at 9:43 AM ON 05/29/09
I've waited so long to see this. I can't wait! Pixar produces a winner every time, and your review makes me all the more excited to see it. As I've said before, the Hollywood remake monster would do well to study such an innovative entertainment leader called Pixar. Long live originality! (And down with YARM!)
By Peter at 10:40 AM ON 05/29/09
I'd say 'The Incredibles' was better than 'Wall-E.'
By storms at 11:15 AM ON 05/29/09
Any other Pixar movie is better than Ratatouille. What a boring unfunny plop that was. Gorgeous visually, but lacking in most all else for that rodent loves cooking tale.
By sagaquisces at 3:29 PM ON 05/29/09
Wall-E was lopsided for me...the second half with its overbearing message and (uncharacteristic for Pixar, and more to the point of the film) dull mass of humans eroded the sparkling charm of the first half. I'm also not an avid fan of the Toy Stories. But Pixar does have a way of serving up generous portions of personality and whimsy that are mighty tasty. To me, that's the primary charm of such entries as the Incredibles, Ratatouille and my personal fav, Monsters, Inc.
By Aeolius at 9:24 AM ON 05/30/09
While Up was a great film, I doubt I'll take the family back to see it again. The theater charged an additional $3.25 per person, for 3D glasses. I have 7 kids, so that added up in a hurry. $2 extra for glasses was bad enough. $3.25 is highway robbery.
By OptimusMaximus at 11:49 PM ON 05/30/09
Ratatouille? A terrible movie filled with unlikable characters. My kids wanted to leave the theater after 20 minutes of that movie. Why it got such great reviews, I have no idea. UP will hopefully be a return to form. Wall-E was really good, if a bit uneven and heavy handed with it's environmental message.
By Richard at 11:51 PM ON 05/30/09
I saw UP with friends last night. Patrons of all ages enjoyed it. It was a fun movie and an adult movie. It struck a very good balance between fun cartoon film and adult animated film.
Disney/Pixar strikes again!
By Richard at 12:02 AM ON 05/31/09
Oh. And it looked great in a regular theatre. No 3D. No extra for glasses.
By Jenn at 12:41 AM ON 05/31/09
It was an amazing movie. I watched it in 3D, but I really didn't see much 3D action going on. I would go watch the movie again but maybe not in 3D.
By Thorny at 1:12 AM ON 05/31/09
I thought "Wall-E" and "Ratatouille" were just okay movies (gorgeous to look at, but mediocre stories with few interesting characters), but "Up" is sensational. Handily Pixar's best since "The Incredibles". I saw it in 2D and it looked great.
By Riceball at 4:04 PM ON 06/01/09
"It was an amazing movie. I watched it in 3D, but I really didn't see much 3D action going on. I would go watch the movie again but maybe not in 3D."
That's the whole point, there isn't supposed to be any real 3D action, no gimicks like having jumping out of the screen, or things poking out of the screen. The new way of doing 3D is more about delivering more depth to the movie rather than about cheesey gimmicks. I've only seen "Bolt" in 3D so far but I liked it a lot, it had a lot of depth and it felt almost like I was watching it being performed live on a stage rather than being projected on a screen.
By Matt at 12:10 PM ON 06/02/09
Up is better than Ratatouille. WALL-E beats them both. It's not even opinion at this point, it's science.
By TOO SAD at 8:09 PM ON 06/04/09
Way Way too sad. I was stunned at how deep this movie was. Thank God the kids were too young to know what was going on. I mean come on, did they really need to show the part where the couple is in the doctor's office crying because they cant have a baby? I am not a movie cryer. But dang I cried from start to finish. The old man was very close to his wife and he was sad through the whole movie without her. Like Heather saids in her review...the happy parts werent enough to make you forget about the sad parts. I get depressed every time I think of this movie. Had such great potential too.
By e1leen0nt0fu at 4:05 AM ON 06/06/09
I was kind of skeptical going to see UP because the premise looked really bizarre, but it totally went beyond my expectations. Not only was it a fun ride in general, but it offered heavy doses of human drama into the mix. I was pretty much bawling throughout the entire movie, and the short with the cranes and the clouds was endlessly charming and adorable. Unless something super amazing comes out in the next year, UP damn sure better win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.
Commenting on the TOO SAD comment, I really think ultimately that's part of UP's brilliance is that it delivers those realist life events, but I don't think it was too much.
By SeeFlat at 2:01 PM ON 06/10/09
All Pixar movies are phenomenal on one level or another. No one that has time to say anything bad about any movie they have made will ever even come close to accomplish something as creative and well wonderful as these animators and storytellers do.
Wake up.. your opinion does not count
By bob at 2:00 PM ON 06/22/09
I give it the rate of toy story because toy story is the best pixar movie ever and up is the 2nd i enjoyed up ecause walle was boring
By Meeeeee at 4:16 PM ON 11/21/09
Bob, you are a retard. WALL-E rules! And anyone who says it's boring is a heartless, self-centered b*tch who is blind to beauty. Go f**k yourself, loser!
By Meeeeee at 4:20 PM ON 11/21/09
Bob sucks. WALL-E RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WALL-E >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>bob
:D
By Smith at 2:48 AM ON 02/01/10
What are you people smoking? Up was the biggest BORE FEST EVER!!!!! What charm? It's just boring and weird with such a random story, i found myself saying, "what". By the end I was saying "who cares"? What a waste of time. All the more painful because my roommate (and the whole world) raved about it
By Chip at 9:36 PM ON 02/03/10
Sorry you felt that way, Smith. Actually, I'm not. I really could care less. All I know is I loved this movie and was never bored for a second. I'm very glad it has a Best Picture nomination, it really deserves it.
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Chip:
Sorry you felt that way, Smith. Actually, I'm not. I really could care less. All I know is I loved this movie and w...More »