Pixar sets a high bar for animated films. Even their own films don’t always reach that high bar (Lightyear). But when a new Pixar film comes around that hits that bar, it’s a joyous occasion for children and adults alike. The latest animated film from Pixar, Elio, doesn’t hit the highs of the Pixar greats, but it comes close enough to be a very enjoyable experience for all ages.
Table of Contents
The Story
Elio follows the titular character (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), a lonely boy who recently lost his parents and is living with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña). When they visit a space museum, Elio finds out about the possibility of aliens, and immediately becomes obsessed, even skipping school in an effort to get abducted. Luckily, Olga works for the government at a NASA-like agency, so Elio doesn’t have to wait long for his chance to get abducted.
This is a change from the original plot of the film. When the first teaser trailer released almost exactly two years ago, there was a very different plot. The film was originally set to release in 2024, but the original director left the project to start work on Coco 2, and at some point the plot was reworked quite a bit. Looking back on that original teaser trailer, the revised plot does seem to be an improvement, but the film has certainly had a rough ride from conception to release.
The Vibe
A vast majority of Pixar movies appeal to audiences of all ages. Many would be considered timeless. While Elio doesn’t quite have what it takes to be another timeless Pixar classic, the writing team has a clear love for space. Carl Sagan’s famous dialogues are heard multiple times throughout the film, there’s a focus on the Voyager space probes, and even a nod to Star Trek: Voyager at one point (as well as a few other pop culture film references).
Elio’s aunt Olga has a job helping to prevent satellites from colliding with each other and space debris. If you’re a space nerd, there’s plenty of fun to be had in Elio. However, even if you’re not a big space nerd, the film follows the familiar Pixar narrative of a lonely child finding their way. There’s a lot of emotion surrounding Olga and the difficulties of having a child suddenly thrust into your life. When coupled with the space themes, that’s the main draw for the adult audience. Meanwhile, children will relate to Elio’s journey to find where he belongs, as well as the friends he makes along the way.
Voice Acting
It’s almost irrelevant to discuss voice acting in a Pixar film. It’s difficult to think of a single character in the history of the studio that was poorly voiced, and that trend of perfection continues in Elio. From Kibreab and Saldaña, to the main villain, Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), and the entire cast, everyone acts and sounds exactly how you would expect them to. Some voices are more familiar than others, but everyone feels well-cast in their respective roles.
Animation
Another Pixar staple is the extremely high quality of animation in each and every film the studio produces. You can almost always tell a Pixar movie from the animation style and quality, and Elio is no different. It looks and feels like a Pixar movie, and that’s by design. Disney is actually marketing Elio as a 3D film in some markets, which does seem a bit dated, but also a testament to the quality of the animation.
The Final Verdict
Elio isn’t one of the Pixar greats, but it gets close enough. It plays better than the likes of Elemental and Lightyear, but isn’t quite as good as Inside Out or Toy Story. It’s a happy middle ground between the less than stellar Pixar films, and the best of the best. It skews a bit more toward children, but parents will still have plenty to enjoy, and will probably have to watch the film more than once after its theatrical run.
About Elio
Synopsis: Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Directors: Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi
Writers: Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, Mike Jones, Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Jesse Andrews, Hannah Friedman
Cast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brandon Moon, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil
Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 Hour, 39 Minutes
Releases: June 20, 2025
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
- Bryan Dawsonhttps://geeknewsnetwork.net/author/bdawson1/
