REVIEW: ‘Elio’ Is A Beautiful And Emotional Cosmic Journey About Loneliness

As a kid, have you ever looked out into the stars and wondered what could possibly be out there, reaching your hand out far enough as if you could touch one of those stars? Has the thought ever crossed your mind about what it would be like to interact with extraterrestrial beings, and if you'd be able to get along with them? The most important question to ask is, have you ever felt lonely and like there was no one in the world that could possibly understand how you feel? Because Pixar's 29th movie, Elio, answers all those questions and showcases the endless possibilities you can reach.

Elio is a film that has gone through many changes over the last few years. With the film being initially delayed from its March 1, 2024 date to June 13, 2025, because of the SAG-AFTRA strike and then once again being delayed by a week to June 20, 2025, to avoid competition with How To Train Your Dragon, while the strikes might have been a reason for its initial delay, there are still a lot of variables that likely factor into its delay. The teaser trailer for the movie dropped back in June 2023 and hints at a plot that's unrecognisable at this point. Elio feels like a completely different character; Grigon is an ambassador in the Communiverse, Aunt Olga was originally his mom and voiced by America Ferrera instead of Zoe Saldaña, and original director Adrian Molina dropped out to focus on Coco 2 while Turning Red director Domee Shi and Burrow director Madeline Sharafian hopped onto the project.

Usually in the film industry, this many changes bring on a lot of worries about how the final product of a movie might turn out, and Elio went through the exact same thing. Personally, I had no interest in the film, although it was being helmed by someone who directed a recent Pixar film that I absolutely loved. You would think this was a recipe for a disaster, but Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian and the team at Pixar absolutely blow all expectations out of the water and far into outer reaches of space as they deliver a film that has easily become one of Pixar's best in recent years.

Its opening scene introduces the audience to Elio and his aunt Olga, and we quickly learn that after Elio's parents passed away, he got put in the care of his aunt, who took a halt in her career to look after her nephew. As a kid, you're at the centre of the world, and everything you hear around you not only affects you 10x more, but you're also more likely to blame yourself for all the negativity taking place. In this moment we see that Elio only simply wants to feel wanted like other kids who still have their parents, and unfortunately he doesn't feel that with Olga, who seems to shut him down at every opportunity and eventually even sends him away to a camp.

© Pixar

After hearing a message at the space centre that discusses the far reaches of space, Elio finally realises that he may be able to find the place he belongs. This opening scene is not only touching and a quick tearjerker but also effective in highlighting Elio's loneliness and the reason for why he has an obsession with contacting aliens in an attempt to get abducted. The beginning of this film alone feels reminiscent of early Pixar with how impactful they make their opening scenes.

It might not reach anywhere near the level of Up, but it's still quite a bleak way to open up a movie aimed at kids who likely could be relating to Elio in that very moment; thankfully this film shows that there's light at the end of the tunnel and that no matter how far you search, you'll never be alone. The movie falls into certain tropes, such as a group of bullies targeting Elio, but quickly the film begins to take things out of this world.

Pixar has taken us to space before with Wall-E, but Elio differentiates itself from that with its introduction of the Communiverse, a hub for many species of aliens that are run by their ambassadors. The Communiverse itself is a vibrant and visual spectacle that shows how creative Elio can get with its unique technology that allows Elio to understand all the aliens. It's here that we're introduced to the villain of the film, Lord Grigon and his son, Glordon. What makes Glordon one of the best characters in the film is that he perfectly mirrors Elio. He doesn't fit in with his species and fears that his father will not understand his wishes to not be like him, alienating him from everyone else.

Elio and Glordon's interactions are some of the best that this film has to offer, bringing smiles to faces as they team up with each other and continue to further grow their friendship. It's even more beautiful seeing how Elio doesn't once struggle with talking to Glordon or any other alien. It's clear once he has reached the Commuiverse that he has found people who make him feel at home, although he's probably lightyears (hi, Buzz) away from home, considering they must use hyperspace to reach the Commuiverse, which is also another beauty to behold.

© Pixar

Yonas Kibreab is no rookie when it comes to voice acting characters, and he pulls out all the stops with Elio as he showcases the emotional range he's capable of, leaving a memorable mark on the character. Kibreab paired with Remy Edgerly's Glordon makes for one of the best pairings in Pixar history, and their talent shines through with how great their chemistry is, considering they wouldn't have been in the same booth when recording their lines.

Elio can easily be described as a cosmic coming-of-age story that tackles how children deal with grief and overcome their loneliness after feeling alienated from everything around them. Domee Shi and Madeleine Sharafian take this film to infinity and beyond by also exploring a genre that has never been seen before in any Pixar film, and that's horror. While Elio is in space, they send down a clone to replace him for the time being while he proves himself worthy of being an ambassador on Earth's behalf. These scenes with the clone are genuinely creepy and really tap into the cosmic horror side of this world. They're not just forced into the film because it was a cool idea, but they serve a purpose in the story and Olga's development as a character, which all leads to Pixar's most terrifying scene yet in the third act, which is bound to scare the younger audience and possibly a few of the older audience.

The third act can feel slightly rushed, but its visuals are at their finest during a certain action-packed sequence in space with a score by Rob Simonsen that makes this moment feel iconic. It's a thrill ride that comes to a heart-wrenching climax that brings Elio full circle, making him one of the most beloved Pixar characters in recent years.

Elio is simply one of the best original Pixar films to release in the last five years and is a testament to how strong Pixar is as a company to still be releasing movies that share such a strong and impactful message that's not only relatable but with characters that you can't let go of once the credits roll. For a film that had a questionable production, it proved that you can overcome any obstacle to achieve greatness. It's an emotionally touching movie that's packed full of love, a slight bit of horror and all the whimsical fun you can think of.

There's a single quote that perfectly captures everything that Elio stands for, and it's this: "You are unique, and being unique might feel like you're alone at times, but just remember you are anything but alone. You are loved."

Rating: ★★★★½

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Elio. © Pixar

About Elio

Premiere Date: June 20, 2025

Executive Producer: Mary Alice Drumm

Writers: Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, Mike Jones

Directors: Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian

Production: Pixar Animation Studios

Distribution: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Cast: Yona Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirly Henderson

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.