Elio is a sad and lonely boy. His parents have died, and he now lives with his Aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña). But she doesn’t seem to want him around. She is always busy, always scolding him, and worst of all, she is sending him to a youth camp.
Elio just wants to belong somewhere. Somewhere he is needed or wanted. He believes that place might be far from Earth. That is why he dreams of being abducted by aliens.
Then, one day, it actually happens.
Because of the Golden Record and a signal sent from Earth, a group of aliens arrives and abducts Elio. The problem is, they mistake him for the leader of the planet.
The aliens want Elio to represent Earth in the Communiverse, a council of alien civilizations. But first, he has to prove himself. Afraid of going back to his old life, Elio plays along. He must now convince Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), one of the most powerful creatures in the universe, not to destroy the Communiverse just because they rejected him.
Along the way, Elio meets Glordon (Remy Edgerly), Lord Grigon’s son. Glordon is cheerful and carefree. He is nothing like his father, who is obsessed with blasters, power, and destruction. Glordon does not want to hurt anyone, but he is scared to stand up to his father.
Elio and Glordon form an unlikely friendship, a friendship that could change the future of the universe and both of their lives forever.
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As a film, Elio sits somewhere in the middle of Pixar’s catalog. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t stand alongside the greats like Up or Inside Out. Something about it is missing.
I think, it lacks that emotional gut punch that Pixar usually delivers. It doesn’t have a tearjerking, life-changing moment that makes you want to pause it and reflect about your own life. You understand the message it wants to tell, but you don’t feel it deep down.
That’s the biggest problem with Elio. It’s missing a spark. Pixar is known for stories that hit you emotionally, even without saying much. Here, you see Elio’s pain and growth, but you don’t really feel it.
But don’t get me wrong, the story is nice and has its heart in the right place. It’s just that, Pixar plays it a bit too safe this time. I wish they trusted the audience to figure things out more, though. Elio explains too much. It’s too cautious. It tells you how to feel instead of letting you feel it on your own.
Even so, Elio has its charm. I laughed at several parts. The pacing is quick and never dull. The animation is bright, colorful, and full of life.
The voice acting is also strong. Yonas Kibreab and Remy Edgerly stand out the most. Their voices bring warmth and life to the whole film. You can feel their connection to their character and it helps make the film engaging.
Lastly, credit where it’s due: Elio is an original story. That’s rare today, when most animated movies are sequels or spin-offs. Pixar took a chance on something new and that deserves some praise.
In summary, Elio doesn’t quite take off. It’s better than many animated films, but it doesn’t reach its full potential. When the movie ends, it lands quietly, and you might not feel the need to watch it again anytime soon.
2.5/5
