Elio (2025) Film Review: Pixar's latest cosmic adventure is stuffed full of creative flair and heart
- reeltalkin'
- Jun 22
- 4 min read
Eleven-year-old Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, is desperate to be abducted by aliens to escape his lonely life on Earth. Following the tragic death of his parents, he is taken in by his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), an Air Force major who gives up her aspirations of becoming an astronaut to raise her nephew.
One day, Elio's seemingly impossible wish comes true, and he finds himself accidentally becoming the intergalactic ambassador of planet Earth after being beamed up to the Communiverse by aliens for making contact. He must form new bonds with an eccentric array of otherworldly lifeforms, whilst navigating a crisis of cosmic proportions.
The latest offering from Pixar and Disney has a troubled production history, with Adrian Molina (Coco, 2017; The Good Dinosaur, 2015) initially conceiving the story of childhood and social isolation, inspired by his own experiences growing up at a military base. However, Molina left the creative process to begin work on Coco 2 (2029) in August 2024, and the project was taken over by Madeline Sharafian (Coco, 2017; Turning Red, 2022) and Domee Shi (Inside Out, 2015; Bao, 2018).
Despite some changes behind the scenes and a lack of a solid marketing strategy, Elio is a delightful entry into the Pixar catalog and exceeds expectations with a surprisingly mature, tender coming-of-age story that explores what it is like to feel different and unwanted, only to discover one's place in the world.
As can be expected from Pixar, the animation is absolutely breathtaking, with exemplary attention to detail on display in every frame. The photo realism that the studio has now managed to achieve is nothing short of outstanding, with some shots varying from incredibly imaginative cosmic misadventures in the depths of space to an expansive forest during an early morning sunrise, which could honestly be framed in an art gallery. The film does include some admittedly scary scenes, which would not be seen as out of place in a horror film, with eerie uses of dark shadows and creepy imagery often cropping up, which has already begun to receive some criticism from parents; therefore, younger children may need to sit this one out.
The movie is brimming with creativity and childlike wonder, which is sure to entice anyone of any age, with plenty of original alien characters that have taken some inspiration from other sources, and a spell-binding design for the central Communiverse design. Despite Elio's new alien bestie, a sweet slug-like creature called Glordon (Remy Edgerly), not having any eyes, his youthful energy and innocence are still conveyed perfectly by the animators. There are also admirable action sequences utilising slow-motion, which did look a tad clunky and experimental in its execution, but, impressive nonetheless.
Arguably, the best quality of the movie, other than its technical qualities, is Elio himself. All of the characters are consistently charming and likeable, with our young lead being a fantastic role model for children. Elio is definitely the definition of 'the weird kid', with his quirky obsession with life in outer space, which creates distance between himself, his peers, and his aunt, who struggles to connect with her unconventional nephew.
However, Elio is a very capable, intelligent lad, whose self-esteem and self-acceptance gradually improve as he finds kinship with the equally outcast, lonely Glordon and eventually forms a strong emotional bond with his aunt as they grow to understand each other. There is plenty of subtext to the narrative with much to interpret.
Elio's character bears striking similarities to the equally lovable Lilo in Lilo and Stitch (2002), whose unique personality resonated strongly with autistic viewers and those who have also felt isolated from society. The film presents a very touching, universal message for both children and adults about being happy with who you are and the idea that there is always somebody out there who will love and accept you, despite not fully understanding you. This theme of family and acceptance also extends to Glordon and his rocky relationship with his father, which is handled with great sensitivity and leads to a deeply touching climax.
The movie exhibits efficient, speedy pacing and an easily digestible run-time of just over an hour and a half, ensuring constant entertainment throughout. The film is almost too overwhelming with its vast array of imaginative concepts, yet there is still a strong balance of well-incorporated humorous moments, which can appeal to any age range, and dark, meditative moments of thoughtful contemplation.
This is one of those rare instances where a longer runtime may have actually benefited the film, or another proofread could have been useful in tightening up the screenplay and giving more scenes adequate room to breathe. Although the developing relationship between Elio and his aunt Olga was handled well and the emotional weight of the script was certainly felt, it would have been nice to see a bit more from her point of view to expand on her character's backstory and personality further.
All in all, Elio provides both an exhilarating and atmospheric trip into intergalactic territory, whilst also managing to stay grounded with a sincere, heartfelt story of family, friendship, and self-acceptance. The animation is stellar, the lead incredibly likeable and engaging, and there is plenty more weight behind the story than was initially led to believe from its pretty light-hearted trailer. Definitely go and check this gem out at the cinema if you can, it is worth seeing on the big screen, even just for the visuals alone!
Check out the trailer for Elio (2025) below, and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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