Elio: Movie Review

Cast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil and Shirley Henderson

Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina

Elio feels exactly like the kind of film Pixar would make in the face of accusations of going woke.

But it's actually a beautifully put together ode to our place in the universe, feeling alienated and Voyager, the first probe sent into space. Albeit with some largely forgettable characters the moment it's done, something which is sad to relay.

Kibreab plays the recently orphaned Elio, a space obsessive who longs for aliens to abduct him because it's better than being offloaded on his aunt (Saldaña). However, when first contact is made, Elio finds himself whisked away to the Communiverse, "where tolerance and open-mindedness" rule. But he soon finds himself out of his depth when he volunteers to try and negotiate with a warlord (Garrett) who's intent on destroying them all.

With its adulation of the space race (there's never been this many mentions of the Voyager craft since the first ever Star Trek movie) and its examination of the message of are we alone in the universe, Pixar's latest has the depth it needs on hand. 

But it largely eschews that to dwell on Elio's trauma of loss, and his anger and lack of acceptance at what's happened to him. While also throwing in messages about bullying, what it means to be unique and the sad "what if there's nothing in me to want" attitude of an orphan - there's a lot to juggle here, and not all of it is successfully done in this.

It's beautiful to look at and while it's packed with sci-fi references for celluloid lovers (Terminator 2, Invasion of the Body Snatchers to name but two), there's a general feeling that most of the main characters aren't as memorable as some of Pixar's previous output.

It's a shame because as Elio plays out, it's a magically enjoyable experience - albeit one that's more or less forgotten the moment it's ended. Perhaps it speaks to the problems Pixar has with its output currently - it's still chasing another character that will stand the test of time.

But while it does that, it produces little nuggets like this that revel in existential angst - and parallel perhaps some of the uncertainty Pixar itself faces as it tries to find its own identity in 2025 and beyond.