Elli and Her Monster Team – Film Review

This past weekend in Canada, Elli and Her Monster Team, an indie animated film, was released that I probably would never have heard of if it didn’t star one of my all-time favorite actresses, Sophie Nélisse, who you probably know best as teenage Shauna Shipman in the hit Showtime series Yellowjackets.

Her involvement in this film made me go right to the theatre to see it, and I’m glad that I did, because although it certainly isn’t anything extraordinary by any means, it’s still a highly enjoyable time at the movies and it’s sure to win over families and kids of all ages.

Elli and Her Monster Team was directed by Piet De Rycker, Jesper Møller, and Jens Møller, and is a European-Canadian co-production with a tone and structure that harken back to classic children’s stories—a film that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking in its themes, if not always in its visuals.

At the center of this gently spooky tale is Elli, a thirteen-year-old ghost girl voiced with immense warmth and sincerity by Nélisse. Elli isn’t your average phantom; she doesn’t relish the idea of scaring humans, nor does she find much joy in the cobwebbed lifestyle her gruff Uncle Chamberlain (voiced by the seasoned Terrence Scammell) expects her to adopt. Instead, she longs for something simple and deeply human—a real family, like the ones frozen in the smiling photographs she sees lining the walls of their haunted mansion.

The core premise has a charming fairy tale quality to it, albeit with a science fiction twist: in this futuristic world, all “abnormalities”—an umbrella term for ghosts, monsters, and any other oddities—are being hunted and imprisoned by a cold, calculating supercomputer and its sleek robot enforcers. It’s a world built around fear and conformity, one that values safety and normalcy above all else. When Uncle Chamberlain is captured, Elli and her tiny but loyal sidekick—a mouse with surprising spunk—embark on a rescue mission that takes them from their eerie but cozy mansion to a glittering, sterile metropolis teeming with danger.

What stands out most in Elli and Her Monster Team is the heart that pulses through its story. Elli’s journey is more than just a physical trek through danger—it’s an emotional voyage of self-acceptance, friendship, and the courage to be kind in a world that demands fear. The screenplay doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it touches on its familiar themes—belonging, bravery, and identity—with tenderness. There’s a sincere message here for younger viewers about empathy and understanding those who are different.

Sophie Nélisse brings considerable soul to the title character. Her performance carries the film, capturing both Elli’s wistful innocence and her steely resolve. Nélisse ensures that Elli never veers into precociousness, grounding her instead in emotional truth. The rest of the voice cast is solid, if not particularly memorable. Caroline Dhavernas offers a sweetly nurturing presence as a loving werewolf named Martha, while Darryl Hinds adds a dose of comic self-pity as a washed-up vampire. Daniel Brochu plays a young Frankenstein monster with bashful charm, though his arc is underdeveloped—more a sidekick than a fully-formed character.

That underdevelopment is part of a broader issue with the film’s storytelling. While Elli is well-realized, many of the supporting characters feel undercooked. The villains—the robotic agents of the supercomputer—are more functional than fearsome, and the central antagonist lacks the complexity or personality needed to make the stakes feel urgent. The film often favors a brisk pace over deeper character work, which keeps things moving but also leaves emotional threads a bit thin.

The visuals here are also painfully average. The design work is often cute and functional, but the animation itself is disappointingly basic by contemporary standards. Textures lack richness, backgrounds often feel flat, and character movement can be stiff. While younger viewers might not mind the simplicity, parents accustomed to the visual grandeur of Pixar or DreamWorks may find the film’s look distractingly rudimentary. This is animation on a budget, and while it has a certain charm, it struggles to fully bring its imaginative world to life.

The humor is another area where the film wobbles. While there are moments of genuine wit—particularly in Elli’s interactions with her mouse sidekick and a few sardonic asides from the vampire—not all of the jokes land.

What ultimately elevates Elli and Her Monster Team beyond its technical limitations is its emotional resonance. There’s an authenticity to Elli’s desire to belong, and her refusal to become something she’s not is a powerful message for kids navigating a world that often pressures them to conform. The film’s portrayal of chosen family, as Elli gathers her misfit friends along the way, is genuinely moving—even if it could have benefited from more narrative depth.

In the final act, the film makes an effort to tie its sci-fi premise to its emotional core. Elli, armed not with spectral powers but compassion, confronts a world built to suppress difference with kindness and individuality. It’s a tidy conclusion, perhaps too tidy, but one that remains consistent with the film’s values.

There’s something quietly refreshing about Elli and Her Monster Team. It doesn’t try to dazzle with spectacle or overwhelm with pop culture references. Instead, it invites its audience into a smaller, more personal story—one that values heart over hype. Yes, the animation is modest, and the story might be more simplistic than substantial, but Elli’s journey is one that many kids (and maybe even some grown-ups) will find both entertaining and meaningful.

Elli and Her Monster Team doesn’t break new ground in animation or storytelling, but it succeeds where it counts most—forging a sweet, sincere connection with its audience. With a standout vocal performance by Sophie Nélisse, a charming premise, and a positive message about acceptance and compassion, this is a modest but lovable little film that deserves a look—especially for families seeking something a bit gentler than the usual animated fare.