Elio Review – A Cosmic, Heartfelt Adventure Bursting with Wonder

From the very first scene, Elio wears its heart on its sleeve. It explores the loneliness of feeling misunderstood, the universal need to belong, and the courage it takes to embrace your uniqueness. The narrative is layered with clever humor and genuine emotional beats, making it a film that will resonate with kids, teens, and adults alike.

Disney Pixar’s Elio is a beautiful reminder of why we keep coming back to the studio’s films. It is an original cosmic adventure with a heart full of earthbound truths, brimming with mischief, wonder, and the ache of wanting to belong. The film follows Elio, an awkward kid who finds himself suddenly declared Earth’s ambassador to a universe teeming with strange beings and interplanetary politics. What unfolds is a story that balances classic Pixar emotion with bold new sci-fi storytelling that feels timeless yet fresh.

An Interstellar Visual Wonder

Visually, the film is one of Pixar’s most stunning accomplishments yet. The film’s world-building is jaw-dropping. From the flowing organic structures of the Cumulative’s domain to the contrasting solid, bold forms of Glordon’s species, every detail has been thoughtfully crafted. The fluid, coral-like architecture feels alive, pulsing with color and light, while the more rigid alien fortresses show how even the most stoic beings can build breathtaking wonders.

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The color palette and lighting deserve special praise. Neon blues, soft pastels, and glimmering cosmic purples make the vastness of space feel both inviting and mysterious. Subtle lighting shifts guide the audience through Elio’s emotional journey, adding a layer of visual storytelling that’s pure Pixar magic. Every shot feels painterly, yet alive with movement and energy.

The Inventive Alien Soundscapes of Elio

If the visuals sweep you away, the sound will wrap you in an entirely new universe. The sound design of the film is pure Pixar magic. Each alien species has a signature sound when they speak, resonating from their physical form, and when translated, the English voice keeps a trace of that alien timbre. This clever detail makes the entire universe feel more believable and immersive.

The musical score flows perfectly with the sound effects, blending orchestral sweeps with quirky electronic beats that capture both Elio’s wonder and the larger-than-life adventure. Every zap of alien tech and echo of cosmic corridors pulls you deeper into Elio’s universe.

Elio’s Performances are Full of Charm and Depth

Yonas Kibreab brings a breakout, star-making charm to Elio. He embodies the curiosity, awkward humor, and hidden ache of a kid thrust into a job no one on Earth could handle. All while going through one of the worst times of his life. His voice work radiates innocence but carries an emotional weight that grounds the film’s wild premise.

Jameela Jamil’s Ambassador Questa and Brad Garrett’s Ambassador Grigon provide delightful depth to the galactic council, but it’s Zoe Saldana as Olga Solis who grounds Elio’s earthly worries. Her warmth and exasperated strength as a loving, overworked, and under-valued step-up aunt, adds a touching layer to Elio’s loneliness and bravery.

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The standout duo, however, is Elio and Glordon, played by Remy Edgerly. Glordon’s youthful, goofy vibe perfectly complements Elio’s wonder, and together Kibreab and Edgerly form a buddy pairing you’ll wish Pixar would spin into an entire series.

Emotional Honesty and Rich Themes

What sets Elio apart from many animated adventures is its mature but accessible handling of big feelings. Rather than leaning solely on a single big cry moment, Elio lets its audience sit with a tangle of emotions: loneliness, excitement, fear, and the relief of finding your place. The film explores fitting in and being seen in a world that often feels too big for a kid’s worries, and does so with grace and depth.

This nuanced storytelling is refreshing. It trusts kids to handle complicated emotions and trusts adults to remember how confusing those feelings once were. While it has all the heart-tugging beats Pixar is known for, it also gives its characters and its audience space to feel those feelings honestly before moving on.

Elio’s Imperfect Conditions, but Perfectly Human

For all its brilliance, Elio doesn’t quite hit the gut-wrenching emotional heights of Pixar’s greatest classics. Pixar, like much of anything under the Disney umbrella, has a huge shadow it has to step out of before their projects are given a proper chance. The combination of nostalgia, how jaded influencers have made people towards Disney, and how draining our society is these days will undoubtedly take its toll on the film’s critic scores and box office.

It comes close to breaking beyond those unfair trappings with two deeply moving scenes that fans will talk about for years, but both stop just shy of a full emotional knockout punch. This does not diminish the film’s warmth or rewatchability but keeps it just below Pixar’s top tier.

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Also, while the story’s pacing is tight, the film’s marketing seems strangely subdued for such a colorful, universal crowd-pleaser. It will likely rely on word of mouth to gain the love it deserves, which is a shame for a film this charming and smart. Hopefully, word of mouth will overcome the innate POC/”woke” taxes, as well as the current Disney hate trend.

Elio Belongs on Our Watch Lists

Elio is Pixar at its best: visually stunning, sonically inventive, thematically rich, and deeply heartfelt. It’s an adventure through galaxies that also travels deep into the soul of an awkward, big-hearted kid, and by extension, into the heart of everyone who’s ever felt out of place. This is a film for dreamers, misfits, and anyone who’s ever wondered if they’re enough just as they are. Which is why I give the film

7/10

Elio beams into theaters everywhere on June 20, 2025.

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About Elio

Are you ready to join Elio on his cosmic mission? Which alien are you most curious to meet? What does belonging mean to you? Share your hopes, theories, and feelings after you take this interstellar journey in the comments or @me!

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