When I first saw the trailers for UP I was wondering how Pixar could mix a flying house, an old man and a boy into a story that would be interesting. I was pleasantly surprised by the ingenuity of the writers. The story of UP could be directed to quite a few people I know. In a nutshell, the story is about being young-at-heart.
Carl Fredericksen and Ellie meet as children seeking adventure. They both want to follow in the footsteps of their hero Charles Muntz to a place in South America called Paradise Falls. Muntz is a figure based on the explorers of the past and reminded me of the Lost World by H. G. Wells. Muntz has found a kind of lost world where a bird exists that is not found anywhere else. Scientists scoff at Muntz that a skeleton of the bird is a forgery and the explorer sets off to prove himself.
As for Carl and Ellie, as the years go by they have to use their adventure money for other things. They get older and although they don't loose sight of their adventure they never manage to do it. We watch in the opening minutes as Carl and Ellie grow older and Ellie become ill and dies. On his own, Carl's neighborhood changes so that his home is boxed in by high-rise buildings. When Carl is consigned to a retirement home he decided to take a different course and takes the adventure he had been putting off.
Carl's character as a curmudgeonly old man is forced to change as he inadvertently takes Russell, a Wilderness Explorer Scout, along for his adventure. When Carl gets to his destination he is challenged by the very Charles Muntz who inspired his adventure. He has a choice to save a rare bird that Muntz has been trying to capture for decades (for his personal glory) or let Muntz take the bird. In making his decision, Carl grows back into the caring person he had been with his wife.
The characters are beautifully brought to life. Carl, voiced by Ed Asner, did remind me of Spencer Tracey with the square jaw and busy eyebrows. He comes off as lovable under his hard exterior. Charles Muntz, voiced by Christopher Plummer made an effective villain with his single-minded determination to get his bird. Then, there also are Muntz's faithful dogs, who have the ability to talk, that provide a lot of the comedy. The chubby Russell is an endearing character for his stance of what is right and wrong.
I have read some criticism of Up that Carl and Muntz are too old for the roles they are taking, that it is impossible for a house to float along with thousands of balloons and the dogs flying airplanes is ridiculous. Isn't that the essence of story telling? If we can't be delighted, at least on occasion, by the impossible and allow a little fantasy into our lives then we are the poorer for it. The guys at Pixar have made another wonderful film that touches on life and shows us the possibilities.
Get more detail about Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray].
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