Pixar's Complex World of Extraterrestrials Is Creative but Messy

Pixar’s Complex World of Extraterrestrials Is Creative but Messy

RATING – ⭐ ⭐ ✨ 2.5/5*

Elio Review Movie Talkies:

It’s that time of the year again when families head to theatres to catch a new Pixar release on a summer weekend. Over the years, this has become a tradition—and Pixar has earned that trust with its quality content. Elio introduces us to a new alien world and dives deep into several complex theories, many of which are neither easily accessible nor particularly enjoyable. The creative force is still alive and visually engaging, but Elio is far from being one of Pixar‘s crowd-pleasing hits or its usual emotional tearjerkers. It’s a decent watch, but the tradition of watching a “Pixar classic” is slowly fading. Honestly, I never imagined the day would come when Pixar would start making films that feel so humdrum and average. Elio is that very “mid” effort—one that inadvertently reminds you of the brilliance of Pixar’s pre-Disney classics.

Elio Story:

The film begins with a charming scene in which Olga (Zoe Saldana) reads a menu aloud, seemingly talking to herself, while the camera pans under the table to reveal her nephew, Elio (Yonas Kibreab), hiding. Elio believes he’s the leader of Earth and is using a device to send messages to aliens. The story takes a turn when aliens actually respond and invite him to their world through a portal, since he claimed to be Earth’s leader. Enchanted by this strange new world, Elio decides to stay there and earn the Medal of Honor, which would make him an official member of their society. He even sends his clone back to Earth to stay with Olga. Elio befriends a worm-like alien named Glordon (Remy Edgerly), whose father, Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), seeks revenge against the Communiverse after being rejected. Now turned into a robotic beast, Grigon threatens the galaxy, and young Elio is given the task of negotiating peace. But can this boy rise to such a daunting challenge?

Elio

The film is undeniably imaginative and visually splendid, especially in its depiction of the alien world and all the high-tech spaceship sequences. Theoretically, it all makes sense, but the emotional and practical value doesn’t always land—making it a challenging watch for many. Some childish humor offers laughs and shows off the writer’s creativity, but after a while, predictability sets in. The sentimental climax is conjured out of thin air and quickly turns corny. Elio’s realization that his clone is loved more than his real self is a deeply touching moment, but it’s rushed and left underdeveloped. The screenplay suffers from several such missed opportunities, and the action sequences feel outdated. Glordon’s antics, Grigon’s villainy, Elio’s escape attempts, his aunt’s emotional support, and a surprise character thrown in randomly make parts of the film feel like something out of the 90s. The emotional payoff in the climax feels forced, and if you’ve seen other Pixar films, you’ve likely seen it before—done better.

Elio

Elio Cast:

Yonas Kibreab lends the perfect voice to Elio—his one-liners are fun, even if they lean on the childish side. Zoe Saldaña is solid as Olga Solis, and Remy Edgerly as Glordon is suitably quirky. Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirley Henderson, Brendan Hunt, Matthias Schweighöfer, Brandon Moon, Naomi Watanabe, Ana de la Reguera, and Annissa Borego provide decent support in the voice cast.

Elio

Elio Movie Review:

As mentioned earlier, Elio is a visual juggernaut. The alien landscapes and tech design will blow you away, making it a worthy big-screen experience for both kids and adults. The technical aspects are handled well, although the background score doesn’t always elevate the narrative. Editing is serviceable but bogs the film down during the second act. The production value is grand, helping Elio rise slightly above its mediocre script. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina, this visually stunning film unfortunately devolves into a messy, uneven ride. I even nodded off for a brief two-minute nap near the end—something I can’t recall ever happening with a Pixar film. Elio loses steam in the final act and with it, the audience’s interest. Some clever writing or genuine humor might have saved it. All in all, Elio deserves a watch for its inventive take on extraterrestrial life, but don’t expect to come out thoroughly entertained.

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