THE animation wizards at Pixar are back with the high-flying 3D adventure Up.
When 78 year old Carl Fredrickson is told he is being moved to a retirement home, he decides to fulfil a lifelong dream to visit South America by moving house - quite literally.
After tying thousands of helium balloons to his home, he floats into the air and sets sail. But from the outset, things don't go according to plan when well-meaning wilderness boy Russell stows away for the ride.
Things soon turn from bad to worse when a meddlesome giant bird, a talking dog and an insane explorer threaten to stop Carl from reaching his destination.
Racing against time, can the septuagenarian make it to his dream spot before his house runs out of helium?
Pave the way
Pixar have always paved the way in computer generated animation, constantly attracting Oscar accolades and pushing technological boundaries while maintaining a hefty slice of sentiment and a good dollop of humour.
True to form, Up marks another leap for the mouse-house animators.
Within the opening 15 minutes expect a dialogue-free montage spanning 70 years which could possibly be one of the most powerful and tear-inducing moments of animation ever committed to celluloid.
But once the eyes have been dried, it’s straight into the fun.
Action
The mysterious and lush jungle setting pops with colour, but it is the delve into 3D which makes the most out of the stunning action sequences with a frantic dog chase through caverns with a house in tow showing how the gimmick can be a bona fide accentuation of the cinema experience.
Edward Asner’s gruff turn as life-battered Carl is balanced out perfectly by the naive and innocent Russell.
But like with a majority of CGI films, it is the colourful characters they meet which give the film its quality.
While the cheeky bird Kevin brings a few chuckles, it is the eager and loveable dog Dug who not only steals his scenes but is sure to be a must-have cuddly toy on Christmas lists this year.
A choppy mid-section marginally hinders the pace of the film, but in usual Pixar tradition Up brings the perfect balance of tears and laughs.
Whether you are seven, 17 or 70, Up is a stunning generation-crossing movie and yet another cinematic classic.
9/10 - A flawless family film.
- Up is released in cinemas on October 9.