The first Pixar misstep

Rating: 6/10 (1 September 2009)

The consistent brilliance of Pixar movies set my expectations very high for this one. However, it must be clearly said that Up! failed to live up to these expectations and I must call it the first clear misstep in the studio's famed history.
There is some bravery in selecting an unusual pair of heroes for the movie and contemplating on the passing of years in the beginning sequences. But innovation comes to a halt at that very point and the movie as a whole turns out to be a rather flat affair. The story itself proves to be very limited, with a small number of characters tumbling through a series of surreal, yet quite predictable situations -- the very antidote of what once made Pixar movies such as Toy Story, The Incredibles or Wall-E such outstanding pieces.
While for the mainstream of movie-goers (socialised by Hollywood) the mere choice of the theme of the movie in itself could be refreshing, it does not have lasting appeal for a mature audience. Up! is okay for a rainy afternoon, but the very high rating and ranking in utterly unfounded.