James Whitehead
Disney and Pixar’s newest film Elio is currently playing in cinemas. The animation studio’s latest venture into sci-fi tells the story of Elio Solis, a young boy, being raised by his aunt Olga, after his parents tragically passed in an accident. Elio continuously feels alone, fantasising about the vastness of space and the possibilities of other worlds and species to keep him company. His continuous attempts to make extraterrestrial contact eventually pay off, sending him on an adventure in the stars, mistakenly being profiled as Earth’s leader.
I’ve had high expectations for Elio once the premise was announced, it seemed like a project Pixar would be able to inject that magic into, given the subject matter and the themes involved. Especially whenever they dabble with sci-fi the results have usually been stellar. Unfortunately, when going up against the pantheon of good Pixar films out there, Elio does fail in comparison.
A perfectly fine, somewhat charming, film for families. The humour is generally good; there’s some action and excitement sporadically throughout. As custom with Pixar, the more mature themes; in this case about belonging, feeling wanted and appreciating those around you to achieve it, adds some wholesome depth to the story, but none of it has the impact they would have hoped for, leading me on to my biggest disappointment…
There’s truly nothing offensive or poorly executed in the film but compared to the richness and colour of Pixar films in the past it just feels diluted and unorganic.
And this is largely down to the writing. The script felt rushed and lacking, which is reflected in the 90-ish minute runtime. Of course, every film has its sweet spot, but it felt like Elio really could have benefitted from more detail, more world-building and more scenes between Elio and his aunt to really make the most of its premise.
Whilst we’re promised an intergalactic adventure, after encountering this galaxy wide council, it feels more like a space cul-de-sac. There are few species with interesting or unique designs and although the humour works well not a single Alien is rememberable or unique enough. The scope of it feels small, which could be an attempt to make it more personal, but the results are that it just feels too generic and bland.
Whilst it’s nice to tell a tight, confined story, Elio feels more like a timid and safe version of what it could have been. The idea that his adventure in space is meant to change him feels less effective when the ‘adventure’ itself feels small and lacklustre to the potential of the premise.
More run time which could allow more detail on the supporting characters and maybe some genuine problems for Elio to overcome… And perhaps this sweet, broken-family tale would have been far more impactful, but given these issues Elio remains a fine but completely forgettable family film.
Are you going to take the kids to see Elio? Or leave them in there while you sneak into 28 Years Later? Either way let us know below and be sure to check out the Tv and Film News section on the Hits Player for more news and reviews in the world of entertainment.
