ELIO (2025)

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Cast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirley Henderson
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 19 June 2025

Synopsis: For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers — in Disney and Pixar’s all - new feature film “Elio,” the universe calls back! The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession. So, when he’s beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide , Elio’s all in for the epic undertaking. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s leader, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be. 

Movie Review:

Especially in recent years, Pixar hasn’t always had it easy with original fare – and after seeing their latest, we suspect ‘Elio’ will face the same struggle.

‘Elio’ is short for Elio Solis (newcomer Yonas Kibreab), an 11-year-old still grieving over the loss of his parents and now living with his well-meaning but high-strung aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña) at an Air Force base. What is apparent to us isn’t yet apparent to Elio – that Olga had put on her hold her dream of being an astronaut just so she can be present on Earth to be a parent to Elio.

On the other hand, Elio dreams of being whizzed away into the cosmos by extraterrestrials, thinking that he might belong there instead of on Earth. After several attempts to communicate with aliens, including appealing to fellow ham-radio enthusiasts to bring him their devices, Elio gets his wish come true when the denizens of the Communiverse respond to NASA’s call out to the universe through their 1977 Voyager spacecraft.

But in order to fit in, Elio has to keep up the guise of being the leader of planet Earth, so that he can remain on this spaceship holding representatives from across many galaxies. Elio goes so far as to offer himself as a mediator in the diplomatic crisis between the Communiverse and Lord Grigon (a suitably hammy Brad Garrett), the leader of a warlike race of alien worms from the planet Hylurg who takes offence when his bid for membership is rejected by the Communiverse.

It should not be a surprise that Elio eventually proves himself to be not just up for the occasion but also enough of a leader to bring peace to this inter-galactic dispute – and without giving away too much, let’s just say it rests on the sweet friendship between Elio and Grigon’s sweet-natured but misunderstood son Glordon (Remy Edgerly), who refuses to follow in his species’ footsteps by assuming the carapace that the rest of his kind wear.

Helmed by a trio of co-directors Adrian Molina (‘Coco’), Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi (‘Turning Red’) who all know their way around such coming-of-age stories, ‘Elio’ brims with the same heartwarming sensibilities as it builds two similar such characters struggling with belonging. Indeed, both Elio and Glordon bond so easily as friends not just because of their nature, but also because they recognise similar circumstances that both of them are in with respect to their parents/ guardians.

Both their struggles are the beating heart of this gentle tale, which was apparently based on Molina’s own life. What however may inhibit ‘Elio’ from truly taking off is the fact that it ultimately feels familiar – and we might even say, safe – relative to everything else Pixar has done, as well as many other Hollywood animations. A large part of this is also because Pixar’s success has raised the bar for itself, and it hasn’t been easy especially over the past decade trying to achieve the same blend of simplicity, heartfelt sophistication, hysterical humor, relatable characters and awestruck animation that has defined its brand.

That doesn’t mean ‘Elio’ isn’t enjoyable in and of itself. The Communiverse is a spectacular delight, blending colour and light to psychedelic effect. The alien designs are weird and inventive, from the mind-reading flatworm Questa (Jameela Jamil), to the rock monster Tegmen (Matthias Schweighöfer), and to the slug-like Glordon with feathery tendrils and xenomorph-like teeth. That ‘Elio’ is such a visual treat is kudos to the artists at Pixar, who once again prove that their imagination remains boundless.

Like we said then, what inhibits ‘Elio’ from being out of this world is its Earth-bound story, despite the genuine connection between Elio and Glordon in their issues relating to Olga and Gidron respectively. The supporting characters, as appealing as they may be, also lack individuality, and if not for their unique designs would probably leave little of an impression. It is in this respect that we suspect ‘Elio’ might end up underwhelming both its audience and thereafter at the box office.

As much as we do want to support original fare, ‘Elio’ isn’t quite enough to make it a must-see (especially in theatres, as opposed to say waiting for it to come out on Disney+). It still hits the right emotional beats, and is gorgeous to behold, but ‘Elio’ is hardly the breakthrough such original animations need to establish themselves amidst a crowded marketplace, and in particular against sequels that also prove that they can take original IP and turn it into something fresh (like ‘Inside Out 2’). So it is charming all right, but ‘Elio’ lacks the shine to ascend to the stars of Pixar’s elite.

Movie Rating:

(A heartwarming coming-of-age about belonging and a gorgeous trip to the cosmos isn't however enough to distinguish 'Elio' as a breakthrough original animation that deserves its place in the stars among Pixar's elite)

Review by Gabriel Chong