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News18
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Elio Review: Pixar's New Space Film Tells An Orphan's Cosmic Journey To Find Himself
Last Updated: Pixar's Elio blends intergalactic adventure with deeply human emotions, reminding us that no distance is far enough to outrun ourselves. Disney Pixar's Elio will bring you lots heart and laughs. Pixar's latest Elio is a lot of things, but essentially it is about how one cannot run from himself, even if he goes all the way to a distant place in space. Elio (Yonas Kibreab) is one of us, a kid who grows up wanting to be understood — he even has a language of his own. An orphan, he grows up with his aunt Olga Solis (Zoe Saldaña), who has given up her desire to be an astronaut and settles for being an Air Force Major to bring up her nephew. This creates friction between the two. However, Elio grows up to inherit his aunt's fascination with space exploration. His loneliness and constant bullying at the hands of two brats propel him to become obsessed with aliens and to desire to be abducted by them. With the help of conspiracy theorist Melmac's device, Elio sends a message to the assumed aliens out there, and his wish comes true. Elio is presumed to be the supreme leader of Earth by his abductors — a huge sect of peace-loving intellectuals who have formed an information-sharing centre called the Communiverse, a prestigious body full of vibrant, zany creatures with extraordinary abilities. Elio is overjoyed to be at the brink of finding his own place in the universe, but things take a dire turn as the Communiverse gets threatened by Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), an alien warlord. His penchant for violence gets him shunned by the Communiverse, and thus he prepares for a full-blown war. Elio, in desperation, volunteers to be an ambassador to hold peace talks with Lord Grigon, which turn sour. However, he becomes friends with Grigon's fun-loving son Glordon, who, unlike his father, is kind at heart. With this new bond, Elio tries to stop Lord Grigon, which takes him on a journey that resolves both his inner turmoil and the universe's. It is amusing how a 90-minute-long film unpacks so much — exploring topics of loneliness, toxic masculinity, and camaraderie — and also manages to be a laugh riot, with humour that is both slapstick and sophisticated. Both Elio and Glordon undergo a similar arc. Both kids struggle to live up to the expectations set by the adults. Glordon struggles hard not to become a disappointment to his father, which clashes with his unwillingness to become a war machine. On the other hand, Elio's grief creates a similar rift between him and his aunt. The ingenious mockery of hyper masculinity is the cornerstone of the film's humour. Grigon and his tribes are in reality a worm-like creature with cuddly traits. Yet, they wear sophisticated armour, turning them into a killing machine. The film has a riot taking dig at the presumed valour of the clan. However, it also humanises Grigon, revealing him to be a doting father, who is ready to put his son before honour. Invariably, all parties involved mean well, and the film creates such complex, heartwarming moments — a reason why even grown-ups are fond of Pixar films. First Published:
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Elio movie review: This lifeless coming-of-age drama, the worst from Pixar, lacks self-belief just like its protagonist
In an age where everything is a remake or a sequel, Pixar has developed a reputation as one of the rare Hollywood studios that delivers 'original programming'. Fresh off the success of Inside Out 2, the animation giant comes out with Elio, the tale of a boy who doesn't quite fit in. And strangely enough, the same problem exists with the film as well. It is as tepid as it is predictable, and despite everything going for it, Elio just fails to get off the ground. The film is about the titular Elio, an orphan who lives with his aunt but never quite fits in. Elio dreams about being abducted by aliens, and behold, it does happen. The only issue is that the aliens—a conglomerate of the universe's finest called the Communiverse—assume he is Earth's leader. To stay in the Communiverse, he must negotiate peace with a warmonger named Lord Grigon, an alien warlord. But this may be more than Elio bargained for. Technically, there is hardly anything wrong with Elio. It is a well-animated film with visuals that jump out at you. The alien species look different enough, and yet innocent enough. The animators have even managed to bring the trademark Pixar-cuteness to the warmongering race of aliens. Elio also appears likeable, despite his quirks and pre-teen rebellion. The world-building is solid, with the Communiverse growing on you as the film progresses. But all that is largely on the surface. The film is a breezy feel-good affair that draws a few chuckles here and a few awws there. But Pixar has raised the bar so high over the years that all this feels bare minimum for a film from this stable. The emotional connect, which is the trademark of any good Pixar film, is missing here. We like Elio, but do we relate to him? The emotion of not fitting and feeling alone is so universal that the film should have easily tapped into it. Yet, Elio cannot manage what a non-human robot did over a decade ago (here's the mandatory Wall-e mention in a Pixar story). But even minus the emotional connect, Elio had the chance to be entertaining and engaging. It fumbles that, too, with some dull and lifeless storytelling. Elio gets predictable pretty quickly and resorts to tried-and-tested tropes, never staying ahead of the audience. If you have seen any two Pixar films in your life, or any two films for that matter, you can easily predict the next plot point and the next red herring. That takes the sheen away from what is developing as a solid entertaining film. The only thing going for Elio is its originality. The story may be age-old, but the treatment is new. The concept, however cliched, is presented in a 21st-century manner. Add to that the stunning visuals, and you have at least a watchable film, if not an enjoyable one. Elio takes universal tropes and themes, like all Pixar films, but only scratches the surface while dealing with them. Once you have seen genre-defining treatments of identity crisis (Soul), longing (Finding Nemo), and anxiety (Inside Out), it is hard to settle for just bang average.
