THE STORY – Elio, an underdog with an active imagination, finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, he starts to form new bonds with eccentric aliens while discovering who he’s truly meant to be.
THE CAST – Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil & Shirley Henderson
THE TEAM – Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina (Directors), Julia Cho, Mark Hammer & Mike Jones (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 98 Minutes
“I used to think Earth was the problem, but what if it’s…me?”
Pixar’s 29th animated feature film, “Elio,” begins with the vastness of space but quickly zeroes in on something far more intimate: the heart of an eleven-year-old boy who feels more alone than ever. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina and written by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, and Mike Jones (Shi and Cho were the driving forces behind Pixar’s “Turning Red“), this whimsical sci-fi adventure is wrapped in eye-popping intergalactic imagery eccentric aliens, and zany humor for kids, but its real strength lies in a quiet, beating core of emotional truth that will resonate with audiences young and old alike. It’s a story of grief, uniqueness, and the universal desire to find connection, whether here on Earth or among the stars. At a time when sequels to pre-existing IP are doing financially better than ever before for the studio (see last year’s box-office success “Inside Out 2“) but might be creatively devoid of what made the animation studio the industry giant it eventually became, it’s Pixar’s original films that remain the true essence of what has made this a special movie studio for over 30 years and “Elio” is no exception.
Elio Solis (voiced with exuberance and heartbreaking vulnerability by Yonas Kibreab) is an intelligent eleven-year-old boy still reeling from the loss of his parents. Now, under the care of his aunt Olga (a commanding yet tender Zoe Saldaña), a major orbital analyst for the U.S. Air Force, Elio is confused and frustrated, giving his aunt a hard time and causing trouble with other kids, as any kid likely would after suffering the trauma Elio has. He’s too hyper-focused on wanting to get abducted by aliens so he can leave this planet for good. After being shipped off to boarding school, Elio makes contact with the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide who mistake Elio as Earth’s leader. The Communiverse beams him up (and drops a hilariously too-perfectionized version of a clone of Elio back in his place on Earth, which raises his aunt’s suspicions as to his now unusual behavior), and at first, Elio feels like he’s found a new home, away from his despair and isolation. However, the Communiverse is being threatened by a bulky, intimidating, worm-like alien warlord known as Lord Grigon (a perfectly cast Brad Garrett). His booming voice and penchant for all things masculine and destructive directly contrast with his gentle and caring son Glordon (an adorable Remy Edgerly), whom Elio befriends due to many of the shared similarities they have as kids. Wanting to stay with the Communiverse and its many ambassadors, Elio attempts to negotiate with Lord Grigon by using Glordon as a “bargaining chip” so that he may find his rightful place in the universe. Elio is way in over his head, attempting to pass himself off to these various alien creatures as the Supreme Leader Of Earth (or “Uh…Earth” as he calls it, and then everyone else repeats throughout the film), but Elio’s motivations are pure and simple: He feels he doesn’t belong on Earth anymore. His whole world was taken from him when his parents died, and while he may think his pain is special and no one can understand what he’s going through (a reasonable mindset to have when you’re only eleven years old), he will eventually come to realize that’s simply not the case.
Pixar has always been adept at threading big touching themes through creative concepts, and “Elio” is yet another in a long line of Pixar doing what they do best when they’re not pumping out cash-grab sequels or spin-offs of their other animated films. “Elio’s” sci-fi setup, complete with a gelatinous, shape-shifting supercomputer named OOOOO (voiced by Shirley Henderson) and a colorful collection of other alien ambassadors in the Communiverse, is brimming with imaginative world-building and delightful weirdness, showing how much thought and effort was put into this by not only the storytellers but by the animators as well. The friendship between Elio and Glordon becomes the heartfelt spine of the film, especially because Glordon doesn’t want to become like his father, and it’s that shared desire to be distinctive and live a life of your own that bonds the two young characters. Elio’s fish-out-of-water diplomacy attempts are played for laughs as he nervously tries to fake it till he makes it. It also reveals the character’s deep need to matter, be seen, and not feel so alone. His high levels of scattershot energy, possibly hinting at ADHD (though never stated outright by the filmmakers), is rendered with bouncy, expressive animation, making him one of the most physically comedic protagonists Pixar has ever animated. But beneath the humor lies confusion and vulnerability. He’s not just running away to space; he’s searching for connection in a place far beyond where he feels most disconnected. It’s very mature storytelling from the team over at Pixar, but as they’ve shown in the past, they’re more than capable of rendering these heavy themes quite simply for even children to understand broadly.
Visually, “Elio” dazzles even if it’s not the most breathtaking animation ever seen from Pixar. The designs are meaningful, with a clear vision for characters like OOOOO functioning as more than just a fun oddity but as a visual metaphor for how one can adapt, change, and serve a purpose. The work on Glordon makes him feel oddly cuddly despite his unnerving design, which also brilliantly captures the film’s blend of sweet and strange. The Communiverse is also spectacularly generated through its multiple colors, shapes, and vibrancy as a marvelous creation that feels otherworldly, which is what you’d expect from a welcoming science fiction alien environment, but also in a spiritual sense, adding another layer to Elio’s journey. And Rob Simonsen’s score beautifully complements all of the tones “Elio” is striving to produce, often soaring when Elio needs a lift and gently melancholic when the story needs to tug at the heartstrings.
While “Elio” may not reach the profound imaginative heights of “Inside Out” or the narrative perfection of “Toy Story,” it comes very close on both fronts, making it one of Pixar’s stronger efforts in recent years. It’s earnest, clever, and deeply felt, even if its wide tonal swings and fast pacing occasionally undercut its more resonant moments. Still, the message is clear and warmly delivered: “Being unique can feel like being alone, but you’re not alone.” That reverberating sentiment should allow “Elio” to become a new favorite amongst the already impressive legacy Pixar has crafted. In a time when stories about grief and identity often skew toward the cynical, “Elio” offers a beacon of comfort. It reminds us that wonder can coexist with sadness and that healing can begin in the most unexpected places, even among worm warriors and sentient goo, all in a universe far beyond our own. It’s a moving cosmic adventure about how the things that make us different are also the things that connect us. And for Elio and us, that’s a message worth beaming across the galaxy.
