Why the cartoon "Forward" will delight children and bring adults to tears

On March 5, an urban fantasy cartoon by Dan Scanlon is released on Russian screens. This director has already directed the Monsters, Inc. prequel and a couple of shorts. But more importantly, he works for Pixar, which has long proven that cartoons can be more than just fun for kids.

"WALL-E", "Up", "The Secret of Coco", "Toy Story 4" - all these works of the animation studio raised very serious topics and often caught the adult viewers even more than the younger generation. But at the same time, cartoons have always remained life-affirming and light. Even if they were about old age, as in the painting "Up", or death, as in "The Secret of Coco".

Vperyod continues this tradition. The new cartoon will be a very fun adventure story for children. And at the same time it will make their parents and older siblings think about simple but important topics.

He teaches to believe in miracles

The prologue tells that once upon a time, there was a lot of magic in a world inhabited by elves, trolls, centaurs and other unusual creatures. But over time, they forgot about it, exchanging it for progress and technology.

And now, in the modern world, very similar to ours, there are two elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot. They are raised by their mother, and their father died many years ago from an illness. For his birthday, Ian receives a gift left by his dad. And it turns out that this is a magic staff capable of returning a person from the world of the dead for one day.

The brothers try to see their father again, but something goes wrong, and only the lower half of the body appears. And now they need to go on a journey to get a magic stone, complete a magic rite and chat with dad. But they have very little time.

The idea of ​​combining the world of magical creatures with modern realities, of course, is not new. You can think of "Brightness" by David Ayer and even "Hellboy". But "Forward" uses such a setting to the fullest, creating both comic and emotional overtones at once.

On the one hand, it's just funny. Why not show a small dragon instead of a domestic dog, and make unicorns look like raccoons or other animals digging in the garbage. And the centaur in the role of a typical American cop also amuses with his awkwardness.

On the other hand, such a move clearly shows that modern society is driving everyone into a frame. The idea that the whole world traded magic for electricity seems to have come from the area fantasy. But the heroine, who gave up adventures and exploits in order to work as a cook in a restaurant, is already quite realistic.

Ian, having received a magic staff as a gift, at first refuses to believe that he is really capable of doing something. Only the older brother helps, who has not lost his almost childish interest and enthusiasm. He explains to Ian over and over again that magic exists, you just have to believe in it.

And almost every character of "Forward" at some point forgets about the restrictions and does something incredible. Whether it's a trek across the abyss, flights that even winged creatures have long forgotten, or the courage of a mother saving her sons.

He shows that any hobbies are useful.

The most controversial figure in the cartoon turns out to be Barley. He looks like a typical overage loafer: he is fond of board games, and his main pride is an old car.

Barley's toys are boring for the whole family. He sincerely believes that his favorite board game is based on real events, remembers all the spells by heart and does not allow unfinished games to be touched. And he also protects ancient monuments that they want to demolish, for which he constantly ends up in the police.

Such behavior is condemned by everyone around, even the younger brother. And this is very similar to our life, when from a certain age many look askance at people interested in games, comics, reconstruction, and indeed anything that does not bring money.

But it is Barley who proves time after time that you need to use every opportunity and at least try to do something in life, and it is also very important to listen to your feelings, and not just follow logic.

His fascination with history, which everyone considered useless, provides the necessary knowledge for the magical rite and the journey itself. And the irrepressible energy of his older brother also changes Ian, who learns to be bolder, not giving up in the face of difficulties.

He reminds of the love of loved ones

Of course, the most touching part of this story is the desire to see a loved one whom he once lost. Barley was very young and cannot forgive himself for one weakness during his father's illness. And the younger brother did not find him alive at all. And the beginning of the story very vitally shows how the topic of loss becomes taboo in the family, and everyone tries to get around it, instead of sharing emotions with each other.

Alas, the magic rite is not going according to plan, and Ian initially decides that all his dreams have failed. But the situation the heroes are in evokes many memories and gives them the opportunity to get to know their father a little better. Most importantly, the brothers embark on a journey that brings them closer together.

They go through the complexities of relationships familiar to anyone who grew up in a family with multiple children. Misunderstanding is sometimes replaced by disappointment and even scandals. Still, Ian and Barley are ready to sacrifice anything for each other. Even what they were striving for.

And it's not for nothing that a separate line shows how their mother, without a second hesitation, rushes to the rescue. Her love and support are no less touching than the adventures of the main characters.

The moral of the story turns out to be completely unexpected. After all, longing for the past and trying to idealize the image of a person he did not know, Ian forgets what he always had.

---

Unfortunately, even before the release, many began to discuss not the cartoon itself, but the news that the first LGBT character for Pixar was added to it. In Russian dubbing, all hints cut out. But in reality, it was associated with only one background phrase of the secondary hero. The short scene did not affect the atmosphere of the family cartoon, either in the original version or in the modified dubbing. Here we can only regret that distributors are too afraid of bans and censor even meaningless words.

The cartoon, with all the good and important thoughts mentioned, remains very light. The plot has some great twists. Both children and adults will find something to laugh at. And the world and all kinds of fabulous creatures are wonderfully worked out.

And it's also interesting that there are no completely negative characters here. Even fairies-bikers are more likely to look funny, although they give the heroes a lot of trouble. This story does not need a villain, the characters simply overcome life's difficulties.

With a strong desire, the cartoon "Forward" can be criticized for the obviousness of morality. But this will only mean that the main idea has passed by. After all, the film is just dedicated to the fact that we, wrapped in everyday bustle and immersed too much in the world of technology, forget about the simplest and most important truths. That loved ones will always support, even if they sometimes get bored, that you always need to believe in something more and not lose your true essence.

In words, this is always obvious, but in life there is often no time for such thoughts. The cartoon will allow you to remember what is really important, and, perhaps, will make every viewer a little kinder. But this is already enough not to miss it.