LIKES:
Beautiful Visuals
Smooth Animation
Fun Content
Relatable Character
Moving Dialogue
Relevant Material
Entertaining Pace
Funny
Voice Acting Works For Me
DISLIKES:
Still No Stakes
Adventure Is Limited
Lots Of Content Feels Rushed
Character Usage Is Meh
Unfulfilled Potential
Summary:
In terms of the likes, Disney continues to amaze me, especially when Pixar comes up with vibrant worlds to play inside of. Elio maximized the visual experience with incredible colors that pop in a dazzling light show of splendorous wonder and fun. The worlds within the Communiverse have that nice touch of specificity to cater to the alien hodge-podge that dwells within the confines of the massive mini-universe. Certain to be a staple for merchandise, such visuals are fun to have adventures in, especially as the enthusiastic youth uncovers more of what they have to offer. Smooth animation unleashes fun content, the styles that were being studied in the 90s-2000s now reaching a peak in execution, with little frame dips or changes in styles. Amidst the fun are relatable characters, the titular one at times resonating well with me, given how awkward and odd I can be. However, there are plenty of statues to attach to in this movie, a character that my friend would say is a "spirit animal" of sorts that Disney's stories continue to highlight as their main element. These characters help to move the relevant material, deep dives into the facets of human relationships and identity that are wholesome, meaningful, and well-delivered, without getting too preachy. Moving dialogue at times hit me the hardest, these perfectly-executed moments that have the visuals to sell the full emotional spectrum of pain, joy, and happiness. And it's all done by talented voice acting, the two young voice actors are astonishing with how well-versed they are in their craft, perhaps the best performances of the bunch. Saldana is a welcome addition as well, not quite as balanced as the other two, but still putting her skills to their best work and accomplishing much as the supporting character. What was best for me was how the movie had emotion, but held a lot more humor that leaned towards classic Pixar. Elio incorporates jokes for a variety of ages, giving everyone something to enjoy as they poke fun at a lot of modern trends. Again, it feels like classic Pixar, and I always enjoy seeing those quips pulled in so that I don't feel like I'm watching Nick Junior titles again. To have it balanced with the meaningful material the way they did, the movie is entertaining, finding the correct pace to give you a lot of the movie-theater worthy experiences.
In regard to the dislikes, the movie still hasn't fully gotten back to the spirit of adventure that my favorite Pixar films have. Elio has a lot of focus on touchy-feelings and internal exploration rather than the outside world. Despite the establishment of a promising antagonist, Elio still can't give me an exciting adventure with stakes, suspense, and close calls that The Incredibles, Bug's Life, and Finding Nemo did. The comedy and relevant material helped alleviate some things, but in terms of Pixar's excitement, the studio still has some work to get back to the balance it had with its earlier works. Some other limitations had to do with the movie being too short, a lot of content feeling lost to the cutting room floor, as there seem to be gaps and conveniences taken that seem a little too stretched for my taste. Character usage is also mediocre, with a few big characters holding the promise of something more, but they get little screen time or involvement. How they still have not gotten this balance down just right, I don't know, but I found Elio still needed some polishing. As for the potential of the movie, there is more to be tapped, perhaps in a sequel that Disney will greenlight if it's profitable.
The VERDICT
Elio blasts off into a visual style that Pixar continues to excel in with their animation work. It's a touching film that checks a lot of relevant boxes for me to help me enjoy the film. The comedy, especially, was my favorite aspect, getting back to the styles of their earlier works and blending them with the character development to make an engaging film that entertained me on various levels. And the voice acting, especially for Elio and Glordon, was top-notch and accomplished, selling a lot of the emotional moments that had many in the audience crying. Yet, Elio is still a bit too geared to the new-age storytelling, focusing more on the touchy-feely adventure than crafting the unique stories that match the internal to the external. It needs excitement, stakes, threats, and more time so that we have these character investments maximized, and not this plot armor that modern Disney crafts. Even more, I felt a lot of material got left behind with editing, much of which could have given us more time with the cavalcade of alien characters Pixar has created. There is more connection present, but most of the target audience might not care when you dive headfirst into the Disney pool. Is it worth a trip to the theater? I think so. Regardless, I give Elio the scores of:
Adventure/Animation/Sci-Fi/Comedy/Drama/Fantasy/Family: 8.0
Movie Overall: 7.5.
