Elio – Film Review

Pixar’s latest animated feature Elio marks an ambitious attempt to launch a new kind of space adventure: one that blends a coming-of-age tale with an intergalactic diplomatic mission. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina, and written by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, and Mike Jones, the film introduces a young protagonist, Elio Solis (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), who is swept into a cosmic political body called the Communiverse after being mistaken for Earth’s leader. With a heart full of wonder and a head full of imagination, Elio finds himself trying to represent humanity to a universe that has finally decided to respond to our endless signals into the stars.

On paper, Elio is bursting with possibility. Its core premise—a child accidently becoming an ambassador to the universe—is ripe for humor, emotional discovery, and colorful worldbuilding. Pixar has often excelled when marrying deeply personal emotional arcs with high-concept settings (Inside Out, Up, WALL·E), and Elio certainly tries to follow in those footsteps. However, despite its imaginative backdrop and sincere intent, the film ultimately stumbles under the weight of its own ideas, never quite coalescing into something as affecting or memorable as its Pixar predecessors.

Pixar’s animation team continues to prove they’re second to none in terms of visual craftsmanship. The aliens in the film are inventive and distinct, particularly Glordon (Remy Edgerly), the friendly worm-like companion Elio befriends, and Questa (Jameela Jamil), a striking, otherworldly ambassador with a design inspired by radiodonts—ancient sea creatures. Each creature exudes personality, and the environments pulse with color, giving the film a sense of scale and scope befitting its cosmic premise.

Elio himself is a likable protagonist, brought to life with youthful energy by Kibreab. A dreamy, awkward boy who often escapes into his imagination to avoid the challenges of real life, Elio’s journey of self-discovery has real emotional potential. His relationship with his Aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), a scientist who may or may not be partially responsible for making contact with the alien world, offers a grounded human touch amid the wild galactic hijinks.

Unfortunately, Elio struggles to balance its high-concept ambitions with its more intimate, emotional storytelling. The script, credited to three writers, seems overstuffed with ideas but undercooked in execution. The story lurches from one cosmic council scene to another, with Elio often reacting rather than actively shaping the events around him. While this may mirror the experience of a child caught in an overwhelming situation, it makes for a passive narrative that’s hard to fully invest in.

The emotional arc—the question of “who am I and where do I belong?”—is a familiar one in Pixar’s canon, but here it feels more surface-level than profound. The film gestures toward themes of identity, alienation, and courage, but it rarely dives deep. Character interactions often rely on exposition or overly quirky banter, making emotional connections feel rushed or unearned. For instance, the father-son dynamic between Glordon and Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) is hinted at but barely explored.

One of Elio’s biggest challenges is its uneven pacing. The first act is charming and mysterious, with Elio’s abduction and the introduction of the Communiverse playing like a kid-friendly riff on Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But the middle portion of the film sags, bogged down by repetitive scenes.

Tonally, the film is also inconsistent. At times, it reaches for emotional poignancy, but then immediately undercuts it with slapstick humor or zany alien gags that feel more Illumination than Pixar. While humor has always been a part of Pixar’s DNA, the best of their films know when to hold still and let a moment breathe. Elio rarely does.

While Elio presents a visually inventive universe, it fails to fully capitalize on its own worldbuilding. The Communiverse feels like a brilliant concept introduced too late and explored too shallowly. Aside from a few standout alien designs and factions, the political and cultural structures of this organization remain vague.

Ultimately, Elio is a film with a strong concept and an earnest heart, but it never fully comes together. It wants to be about identity, courage, and belonging, but the execution is too disjointed to truly resonate. There are flashes of charm—particularly in Elio’s budding friendship with Glordon and in the film’s stunning alien visuals—but they are surrounded by uneven storytelling, underwritten characters, and a script that leans too heavily on plot devices and not enough on emotional depth.

For younger audiences, Elio may offer a fun enough trip through space, complete with silly aliens and fast-paced action. But for longtime Pixar fans hoping for another instant classic or even a solid entry like Onward or Luca, this misadventure feels more like a missed opportunity than a stellar success.