Elio (2025): Pixar’s Last Glimmer of Hope

When I first heard about Pixar’s latest film, Elio, my inner child felt pretty disappointed. Maybe it was because the Wikipedia description prior to its release was so barebones at the time — i.e., the eponymous character with a space addiction suddenly gets thrown into an intergalactic diplomatic conflict.

Perhaps it was also due to my own fatigue with Pixar. As someone who watched Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo on repeat as a child, Pixar’s Disneyfied offerings from the 2010s — consisting mainly of sequels disguised as visual feasts — felt like a huge letdown in terms of nuanced character development and emotional power.

Quite honestly, I tapped out in 2020 following the release of Onward, not even giving the lauded standalone entries like Soul and Turning Red a chance.

Yet, in a year dominated by political strife, international conflicts, and personal hiccups, my inner child sought an escape. And so, I returned to Pixar with hope.

A New World Waits for Me

Or, to paraphrase Enya’s “China Roses,” a new world awaits Elio (Yonas Kibreab), an orphaned boy left in the care of his beleaguered aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña).

A lonely, socially awkward child who feels out of place in this world, Elio is desperate to make contact with aliens. His efforts are endearing, though they’re a huge headache for Olga, who gave up on her career goals to care for him. Ultimately, Elio holds true to his steadfast belief that if there’s any life out there, they will accept and perhaps even love him for who he is.

This thrusts him, with little warning, into a whirlwind outer space adventure — one that sees him encountering intelligent alien lifeforms located on a paradisiacal planet, being mistaken for the leader of Earth, and struggling to reconcile his new diplomatic responsibilities with his own sense of self.

With all these thrills and interactions, it seemed destined to be a Pixar-perfect showing, one that would honor the legacy of their previous works while still forging its own path to greatness.

At least, that’s how it should have been.

Why Elio Works and Doesn’t Work for Pixar

The world of Elio adds another visual treat to Pixar’s vast repertoire. Communiverse, the planet where Elio finds himself, exists as a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colors, abundant in unique alien species and advanced technology.

It’s also worth noting all the photorealistic details that make up Earth, down to the grains of sand at the beach where Elio tries repeatedly to make contact with extraterrestrial life.

Yet, as I learned from watching The Good Dinosaur and Toy Story 4, Pixar’s highly evolved visual style can’t carry a film by itself. Elio is no exception. The visuals seek to fill the hollow where a compelling narrative should be, almost like a preemptive apology by the production team.

Not helping matters is the film’s 98 minutes of rushed, uneven pace. Elio’s explorations in the colorful Communiverse, his almost non-existent exchanges with the ambassadors of the planet, and his strained interactions with Olga fly by like segments of a WhatsApp status. Even the deaths of his parents are left unexplored, save for throwaway remarks during heavy moments.

This makes it difficult for the audience to fully connect with Elio. Perhaps it’s enough to understand why the titular character acts the way he does, but it’s not enough to stay invested in his journey of growth à la Marlin from Finding Nemo or Merida from Brave.

Indeed, it’s hard to both grasp the enormity of the situation he’s in — Elio’s really, truly in space! — and also appreciate the “You’re never alone” type of solitude that Pixar tries to teach us. Perhaps they should have taken their cue from Cars and slowed the action down so that the plot could breathe properly.

Ultimately, there’s a marked gap between the story and the visuals. Unlike WALL-E and Up, each of which perfectly achieved a marriage of imagery and narrative, Elio forces you to choose one or the other, and neither by itself is satisfactory.

One Small Step for Pixar, One Giant Leap to Greatness Still to Go

Despite its flaws, I walked away from Elio with a small grin on my face. It let me forget the real world for more than a moment and it did satisfy that inner child. It entertained me and opened my eyes wide to possibilities that I never knew existed, except only in the planes of imagination.

It’s not quite up there with Pixar’s classic lineup. However, I think it’s safe to say that they’re on the right track. If they could just iron out the narrative and pacing wrinkles in future films, they may yet return to their former glory. 

At the end of the day, I’m glad I watched Elio. If you’re a lapsed fan or merely looking for a way to mute out the real world for a little while, this film will certainly appeal.

Elio is available to stream on Disney+.

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If you enjoyed this film review, be sure to read:

• Elio: Adventure/Sci-Fi, a Review – Another take on Elio to offer a fully rounded picture!
• The Vinland Saga – A review of an exciting television series meshing history, action, and anime.
• Seafaring Pirates – A magazine full of action and adventure amidst seas and stars.
• The Isle of Arran – A literary travel experience.

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