Pixar feels like it’s gotten the yips with their original stories, throwing darts at a wall instead of trusting their creative teams. Likely facing pressure from Disney to appeal to “all four quadrants,” they attempted some hardcore sci-fi nonsense with Lightyear, a film for no one. Elemental and Inside Out 2, though I personally do not love, focus on the trials and tribulations of young women without overthinking it. But have they lost the ability to do so with their “boy movies?” What was the goal with Elio, a pleasant space adventure about an enthusiastic kid trying to find a place where he belongs among the stars? After a seemingly tumultuous production, Elio does not feel as messed with as something like Brave or The Good Dinosaur, but it’s not entirely cohesive either. There was clearly a dramatic attempt to land Adrian Molina’s ship gracefully by replacement directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, with a few scattered unsolvable issues along the way.
When we first meet Elio (Yonas Kibreab), he’s still reeling from the loss of his parents, uninterested in connecting with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), a major in the Air Force (or maybe Space Force, honestly? The film is shockingly neutral on the military in ways I didn’t expect. They don’t even point guns at any aliens! What happened to fear?). Elio sneaks away and learns about the Voyager space probe, prompting a newfound goal: make contact with aliens and get abducted, leaving behind this planet where no one wants him. Thanks to some fancy satellites, Elio may just get his chance.
Elio has a one way ticket to the Communiverse, a collective of alien ambassadors travelling the stars to share technology and ideas. They are basically Space MENSA, down to the dweebishness and limited impact on society. They naturally assume Elio is the leader of Earth, give him a diplomatic role and have him engage in negotiations with a warmongering species led by Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett). Elio is in over his head, but tries to focus on how awesome it is to be in space at all. He finally makes a friend in the form of a space grub named Glordon (Remy Edgerly), who may be key to his negotiations.
There’s a clear divide in animation between the earthbound drama and that in space. Elio’s facial expressions are stretchy and goofy on Earth, but rarely go beyond that once he’s with the aliens. This is the most obvious indicator that the film was entirely revamped – those remarkable expressions and sight gags feel torn from Domee Shi’s Turning Red playbook. Though Elio’s glee and lack of hesitation in space do a lot to carry the story, we’re still stuck with a “liar revealed” moment that just feels lazy in any kids’ movie these days. There is a genuine heart somewhere in Elio, perhaps in the relationship between Elio and Olga, but there’s too much stuff happening around it for it to stand out.
Pixar is going to have to do better than “pleasant enough” if it wants to have more original hits. Next year we have Hoppers, a weird beaver movie that seems fun, and Toy Story 5. Obviously one will make more than the other, but hopefully the original film can become a phenomenon of its own. Elio slots nicely into the Pixar canon, but not enough to stand out beyond that.
Elio
2025
Dir. Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, & Adrian Molina
99 min
Opens Friday, 6/20 @ Kendall Square Cinema, Apple Cinemas Cambridge, Capitol Theatre, and pretty much any multiplex you can think of.
