Up

Director: Pete Docter and Bob Peterson
Cast: (Voices of) Ed Asner, Jason Nagai and Christopher Plummer
DVD release: 13 January 2010
Rated: PG

Pixar up the stakes yet again

Pixar films have received considerable acclaim in recent times. From Toy Story through Finding Nemo to WALL*E, the animation house has collected award after award; not to mention plenty of hearts and minds along the way. So you’d think it would be pretty hard to top all of that – but Up does just that.

This beautifully rendered tale of an old man’s re-discovery of the thrill of adventure is a joy from start to finish. Not only is this one of Pixar’s most imaginative stories, it’s told with just the right balance of humour and pathos – with a fair slice of action thrown in – to make it engaging for (literally) all ages.

The film requires some considerable suspension of disbelief – a house won’t really float away, no matter how many helium balloons you attach to it – but just the thought that it could is enough to bring the tale to life. And, let’s face it, if you can’t get past that kind of scientific detail, then maybe the movies aren’t really the best choice for you.

Th old man at the centre of the story is Carl Fredricksen, who’s voiced by (and apparently visually styled after) veteran actor Ed Asner. The opening scenes of the film take us zipping through Carl’s life to the point where his beloved wife has passed away (an event handled with such elegance it’s worth the price of admission by itself) and he’s facing life in one of those “retirement communities”. His courageous decision is to basically reject that reality and substitute his own by flying his house to South America via the aforementioned helium balloons.

The bulk of the plot deals with Carl’s escapades after arriving in South America with young (unintended) stowaway Russell, voiced by Jordan Nagai. These escapades involve rare birds, talking dogs, long-forgotten legends, zeppelins and a crusty old adventurer named Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer).

Screenwriters and co-directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson have crafted a complex but elegant tale that will surely delight kids with its vibrant colours, animals and abundant action sequences. Be warned though, there are a couple of scary scenes that might be problematic for very young viewers.

Importantly though, this is also a film that most adults will happily sit through. Indeed, the theme of letting go of the past and moving on with your life is one I’m sure many will relate to in one way or another.

The CGI animation is really something to behold. From really fine details to large-scale action, the huge visual effects and animation crews have done marvellous jobs. There’s something breaktaking every few minutes – quite an achievement for any film.

Up is yet another feather in Pixar’s already impressive cap. This is totally entertaining experience, and one that’s sure to stay with you for some time. That’s part of Pixar’s charm of course; their films tend not to be the kind of disposable pap that afflicts our screens from time to time. If you have kids over say 7, make sure you get this movie on DVD. If you don’t, get it anyway; because Up is a truly magical film.

David Edwards