Over the years, Pixar has introduced fans to worlds bursting with memorable characters, incredible visuals, and touching emotions. With Elio, Pixar showcases its most visually imaginative adventure to date that thrives on a shared desire to believe that there’s something bigger out there.
The film follows Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a young boy who desperately seeks to be abducted by aliens so that he stops living a lonely existence on Earth. When his wish is granted he’s mistakenly labeled as Earth’s leader and now must stop a crisis involving an alien warlord named Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett). Elio has an irresistible obsession with the cosmos that taps into the communal wonder of what’s out there. Not fitting in, dealing with his parent’s death, and having a fractured relationship with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), makes his search for another life instantly grounded and relatable. You totally grasp the allure of him visualizing life off Earth. There’s an awesome sequence of a recorded satellite message sparking this burning passion for alien life within Elio and from there, you’re totally locked into this adventure that traverses the beautiful cosmos Pixar provides.
Elio stretches the imagination of Pixar’s animation beyond anything they’ve done before as they craft a striking depiction of life outside Earth. The Communiverse, a hub where aliens from across the universe share knowledge, easily ranks among Pixar’s most compelling worlds. Visually, it dazzles with these intense colors that instantly drive emotion out of you and make you feel the same sense of awe Elio does. The alien designs are unique and diverse in ways that pique your interest to understand what they’re all about. The tour through the Communiverse is fully breathtaking, even when it’s just a trip to the bathroom, and the lore and world potential this boasts is the richest we’ve seen in a Pixar film in quite some time. Even better, Elio sees Pixar play with sci-fi alien horror in incredibly fresh and fun ways – ranging from kooky to creepy.
Pixar has been playing around with the genres of their original films lately to great effect. Whether it’s the rom-com vibes of Elemental or fantasy-adventure that Onward took us on, they’ve shown a new range in their craft. Elio is another home run for them as there’s some cool sci-fi moments fueled by Pixar’s eye-catching animation. The transmission Olga receives early on is eerie alien-horror at its finest, and the red-tinted messaging piercing through darkness is a genuine treat. The use of this clone character that pops up as Elio explores the Communiverse brings some light-hearted vibes that shift into unforeseen terror. Pixar seriously ups the fear factor of this clone perfectly with Olga’s discovery of it having a ton of suspenseful build-up and its use as a distraction is pure crowd-pleasing horror. We also get this amazingly tense ship-flying sequence in the final act that throws into some welcomed action into the mix.
Throughout the film its Elio’s central arc that keeps viewers tethered to every moment. Kibreab’s performance is excellent in bringing a likable innocence to Elio that’s matched perfectly with a maturity that lets his real issues have an impact. It’s great to see a topic like loneliness be tackled in a film that explores the universe as it reminds us that even with so many people and possibilities around us, we can feel alone. Elio’s yearning to feel understood and search for a place in this world is deeply connective and well-constructed to be this persistent theme in his journey. It’s what makes his budding friendship with a worm-like alien named Glordon (Remy Edgerly) so heartwarming and their growth together is flawless. There’s a lot that viewers can take away from Elio’s story even just from face value, but it does feel like there’s a lot left on the table.
At times, Elio gets caught rushing to its best parts, and it causes certain characters, arcs, and ideas to not break past the surface. The strained dynamics between Olga and Elio aren’t fleshed out enough to make their reconciliation as strong. While the Communiverse and its inhabitants have a spellbinding draw, it’s disappointing how little we really get to dive into Pixar’s cosmic vision. And, there’s an emotionally charged ending for the film’s villain that’s totally robbed by the bland build-up of this character’s role in the film. Worst of all, because this film doesn’t take the time to stretch its muscles, it’s constantly plucking old ideas and storytelling trappings from Pixar’s playbook. At times, you can figure out where this film is heading and it’s what nearly ruins Elio’s impact as it barrels towards its finale. Elio can be an example of Pixar riding off its legacy a bit, and hopefully they can really take the time to build fresh ideas before they deliver something that’s running solely on a formulaic autopilot.
However, Elio pushes past its underwhelming elements with a jaw-dropper finale full of big swings. From the animation to the emotional outpouring, Elio might have Pixar’s most unexpectedly powerful ending. Elio’s personal growth is excellently captured in a final decision that leads to some wholesome goodbyes that effortlessly get tears flowing. The final scene is utter perfection in how it encapsulates the ambitious spirit sewn into the film’s visuals and emits waves of emotion that viewers feel in their seats. Plus, it’s all backed by tremendous music from Rob Simonsen and archived recordings from Carl Sagan that add profound layers to the larger themes of finding yourself. It’s a testament to the incredible direction from Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian, and Adrian Molina, and what makes Elio instantly stand out in Pixar’s vast filmography.
Elio is a special entry for Pixar that will surprise fans for its stunning animation and deep-seeded emotion within its story all about being seen in a world that can make us feel invisible. It boasts some of the strongest cinematic moments in recent Pixar films, and will easily touch viewers far and wide – especially with that awe-striking ending that will live in memories rent-free.
