Although Pixar is best known for hit films like Toy Story and Cars, Up changed the game when it was released in 2009. Not only did this film push away from Pixar’s usual anthropomorphic style, but it was a lot sadder than its predecessors. As such, many critics said that Pixar had finally found its niche, creating family-friendly movies that didn’t talk down to their young audience.
Like all Pixar films, there are a ton of exciting fan theories surrounding Up. However, the one with the most traction suggests that Carl Fredricksen’s wild adventures are just a figment of his imagination. Although this fan theory needs some work, a lot of fans are just realizing that Up is even sadder than they remember.
Fans Believe That Carl Is Making His Way Into the Afterlife
When Up first introduces audiences to an older Carl Fredricksen, they can’t help but view him as a cantankerous old man. However, the first half of the movie reflects on his relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Ellie. The pair first moved into their home many years ago and spent countless hours planning and saving up for their adventures. But after Ellie passed away, Carl was left alone with nothing but his memories and his beloved house.
In the present, the local court wants to demolish his house and redevelop the area. So, after accidentally injuring a construction worker, he is ordered to live in an assisted living facility. Yet, Fredricksen is still a young explorer at heart, so he ties copious amounts of balloons to the roof of his house and flies to South America with the help of a young boy scout named Russell. Once they arrive, they realize that they are still miles away from Fredricksen’s dream location, Paradise Falls. The old man, the boy scout, and an adorable talking dog must make their way to the waterfall while avoiding the wrath of fellow explorer Charles Muntz.
Up was the second animated movie in history to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.
There’s no denying that Up is an extremely layered film and forces its young audience to really pay attention to every detail. Even as a simple kids’ film, Up isn’t afraid to highlight the fragility of human life and the fears that surround the older generation as they enter their golden years. Despite these heavy talking points, Up manages to shine through because, at its core, it’s a nail-biting adventure with a ton of keen moral messages. Thus, on the surface, Up seems to be a film about grief and how people can only move on from the past if they have loved ones in the present to support them. More obviously, this movie teaches children to respect and take interest in their elders, because they never know what type of secrets they have in store.
However, a user on Reddit believes that Up is a metaphor for Carl’s journey into the afterlife and that he actually passed away at the beginning of the film. The fan suggests that Carl passed away as a result of the incident with the construction worker and that the balloon house is a metaphor for his soul rising into the afterlife. This explains why the logistics of the balloon house would never work. Studies have already stated that Carl would need a staggering 23.5 million balloons to lift the foundation of his house off the ground, and the most audiences see is 20,622 when the house first lifts off. Thus, the Reddit user argues that the reason that the house is able to move so effortlessly is because none of it is real, and the house merely represents Carl’s soul going up into the afterlife to meet Ellie again.
Each Character Represents a Different Aspect of This Theory
The theory goes on to suggest that every secondary character resembles a stage in Carl’s journey into the afterlife. For example, Russell embodies Carl’s guardian angel. From the beginning, audiences knew that the young boy wanted to help Carl so that he could earn his «Assisting the Elderly» badge and become a Senior Wilderness Explorer. Thus, the theory suggests that Russell encourages Carl to become more trusting and to accept his fate as a dead man. This would explain why the characters are so close and how Carl is able to gain so much wisdom from an inexperienced little boy.
Kevin is supposed to resemble some sort of Higher Power that Carl can set his sights on. Although Kevin emerges halfway through the film, she offers all of the characters a keen sense of motivation and purpose because they all set out to protect her in one way or another. Thus, Carl’s obsession with keeping her safe and in sight could be a wider metaphor for faith. At first, Carl doesn’t care about Kevin at all and sees her as a burden. But, as he nears his final fate, he begins to appreciate her, suggesting that as he draws closer to the end of his life, he understands that a Higher Power has been supporting him the entire time.
Even Doug’s bizarre translation collar ties into this fan theory. It goes without saying, but the audience is well aware that dogs can’t communicate with humans, even with technologically advanced accessories. However, the characters seem to accept this as reality pretty quickly. The user suggests that this acceptance is just another example of why Carl’s adventure isn’t real and exists in a reality that isn’t accessible to living people. Fans also believe that Doug’s entire arc mimics the transition from death into the afterlife. At first, Russell was Charles Muntz’s dog and experienced a life of strife, but as Carl’s dog, Doug lives life to the fullest. As such, this change could mimic how the afterlife cleanses people of their burdens and allows them to live peacefully in a world without anxiety or stress.
The balloon house was modeled after a real house in Seattle known as the Edith Macefield House because the owner refused to sell it to new developers.
Admittedly, all of this sounds very far-fetched, but not unbelievable. Plenty of films and TV shows are metaphors for the afterlife, but Up defied this trend by showcasing the journey from death to eternal life. A lot of audiences are quick to dismiss this theory because Up is a kids’ film, and they believe that children’s media cannot handle vast topics like death or grief. However, Up was one of the first Pixar films to discuss the impact of divorce, a very prevalent issue in society. So, while fans may not support every aspect of this theory, there’s no denying that there is a basis for a strong argument.
Up Is Still Captivating Fans Years After Its First Release
Although fan theories are always quite compelling, it’s important that fans appreciate Up for its real story. Aside from placing older characters in the spotlight, the film also changed Asian-American casting for the better. Russell, voiced by Jordan Nagai, is Japanese-American but still enjoys a lot of American culture, such as being part of the Wilderness Explorers. A lot of Asian communities were pleased with how Russell was depicted because he didn’t fall into the stereotype of Asian culture. These days, this doesn’t sound like a major achievement, but back in 2009, it was a huge step in the right direction for diversity.
In Ratatouille, there’s a shadow of a dog that is supposed to resemble Doug from Up.
Up was also a massive commercial success, earning over $700 million at the box office with a modest $175 million. Not to mention, this film is just over 90 minutes long but manages to pack so much content into such a short film. There’s a huge silent film segment, often referred to as the «Married Life» segment, that still manages to enthrall its young audience and bring tears to their eyes. When compared to other contemporary releases, like Monsters vs Aliens and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, it is surprising to think that Up managed to dominate the box office despite its subtleties and emotional impact.
Despite never receiving a sequel, Up is still a massive part of Disney’s legacy. In 2021, Disney+ released a short-form spin-off series called Dug Days, which follows the old man and his dog as they enjoy the rest of their lives in suburbia. So, while this elusive fan theory is so compelling, it’s clear to see that audiences love Up just the way it is.
