Release: Now showing
Duration: 96 minutes
Rating: PG (scary scenes)

In the film industry, Pixar is an anomaly. At a time when studios seem to favour remakes, reboots, retreads and redos over original thinking, Pixar have patterned their business model on artistic risk and technological innovation, diversifying their range of storytelling with each film.

Even in this intimidating company, their latest film, Up, is a real gem. Directed by Pete Docter (who also made Monsters Inc. and co-wrote WALL-E and the first two Toy Story films), Up is a wonderfully involving adventure which exceeds even Pixar’s high standards to emerge as one of the great films of 2009.

After his wife dies, retired balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen (beautifully voiced by Ed Asner) ties
10 000 helium balloons to his home in a bid to fly his way to the mountainous South American rainforests. His adventure begins well until he realises that local Cub Scout Russell has accidentally tagged along for the ride as well.

One of the great pleasures of Up (and there are many) is that its drama is honestly earned by the screenplay. Of course, there are terrific laughs (courtesy of another tagalong, DUG, a beautiful golden retriever) and superb animation, but underlying the film’s considerable comedic and technological achievements is the story’s sympathetic understanding of the characters’ emotional wounds. Like Pixar stalwarts John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird, Docter unearths genuine human emotion in his characters, which heighten the dramatic stakes of Carl’s grand adventure.

There is a montage sequence early in Up that is a perfectly modulated piece of economic storytelling, depicting Carl’s lifetime marriage to his beloved Ellie in four minutes. There are some lovely incidents in this sequence (Carl and Ellie hold hands and plan to travel all over the world together), but there are also some significant drawbacks and even some tragedies in their time together.

There is not a wasted shot or movement in this wonderful little film as Pixar seemingly infuse the story with everything that they know about life. In contrast to his irrepressible personality, Carl emerges as a gentle soul who is completely devoted to his wife and their life together. Ellie may not appear for very long, but her spirit lingers over the film and ensures that Carl’s pain is identifiable and poignant.

Docter, story-contributor Tom McCarthy (director of The Station Agent and The Visitor) and co-writer/co-director Bob Peterson discuss some heavy issues for an animated film, like grief and unhappiness, but they does so with such a lightness of touch that makes their characters instantly accessible. Docter’s characters are touched by genuine human experiences and their lives evolve in believable and moving ways. Carl comes to care for Russell through experience and wisdom, gradually understanding that this child’s life is touched by the same sadness and longing more obviously present in Carl’s irrepressible, curmudgeonly being.

On a technical level, Docter’s production team have created a beautiful, storybook-quality to the visuals that marvellously reflect the story’s gentle emotional power. Although not as visually sophisticated as Pixar’s previous work, Up’s expert direction superbly replicates the character’s heartfelt emotions whilst amplifying the exhilaration of the film’s spirited action sequences.

Docter is also well served by composer Michael Giacchino (The Incredibles, Star Trek), whose witty, joyous score infuses the plummy waltz of an MGM classic like The Wizard of Oz with warmer emotional textures, finding exacting the right balance of melancholy and cheer for Carl’s fantastic adventure.

Up is a triumph of simple, powerful storytelling, sympathetic characters and masterful animation. Up does not just rise above all others: it soars.