Pixar has explored everything from the secret lives of toys to the inner workings of emotions. With “Elio,” the studio turns its gaze skyward and uses an intergalactic adventure to explore one of the most down-to-earth subjects of all, loneliness.
What makes Pixar’s best films endure is how they move beyond spectacle. They dig into the human heart. “Elio” follows that tradition by examining the tender yet terrifying feeling of being alone, a theme that resonates no matter your age. While it may seem like heavy territory for kids, the film approaches the subject with warmth, humor, and a surprising sense of wonder.
By filtering loneliness through multiple perspectives, a boy longing to be understood, an aunt unsure how to care for a grieving child, and even a father struggling to reach his son, the film reminds us that isolation is not just about being on your own. It is about yearning for connection and realizing it might be closer than we think.
Inspired by co-director Adrian Molina’s childhood idea which he later stepped aside from to focus on “Coco 2,” Elio is helmed by Domee Shi (“Turning Red”) and Madeline Sharafian (“Burrow”). At its center is 11-year-old Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a dreamer still reeling from the loss of his parents. Now living with his aunt, Olga (Zoe Saldaña), Elio feels out of step with the world around him, desperate to find someone who understands him.
Olga puts her ambitions on hold to raise him. Her regimented lifestyle often clashes with Elio’s free spirit, and their inability to connect grows into frustration. While she turns to structure and parenting manuals, Elio turns to the stars, sending messages into the void in hopes that someone might hear. One night, his wish comes true. Mistaken for Earth’s leader, Elio is transported to the Communiverse, a sprawling intergalactic council where he must form unlikely bonds, face galactic tensions, and discover where he truly belongs.
Even light years away, Elio finds himself grappling with the same problem, belonging. His desperation to connect only deepens when he encounters Grigon (Brad Garrett), a warlord demanding acceptance into the Communiverse. Caught in the lie of being Earth’s ambassador, Elio throws himself into peace negotiations.
It is during this chaos that he meets Glordon, Grigon’s gentle and misunderstood son. Though fearsome in appearance, Glordon longs for kindness over conquest. Like Elio, he carries the burden of not fitting into the role others expect of him. Their friendship becomes the heart of the film, two lonely souls finally finding someone who understands them.
Olga’s story reflects loneliness from another angle. She is not cold but overwhelmed by the responsibility of parenting a grieving child while managing her own grief. Her arc is less about control and more about acceptance, learning that love does not mean having all the right answers. Similarly, Grigon is trapped in the only language he knows, strength and domination, leaving him unable to see the son who craves softness and joy.
Though the film’s emotional core rests solidly on Elio and Glordon, supporting figures like Olga, Grigon, and the array of alien delegates sometimes feel underserved. Characters such as Questa, Tegmen, and Helix are more narrative tools than fully realized beings. Still, Shi and Sharafian sidestep the need for a traditional villain and instead build empathy by revealing the struggles behind each character’s choices.
Visually, “Elio” is stunning. The drab sterility of Earth’s Air Force base highlights how stifled Elio feels, while the Communiverse bursts with texture, color, and life. Its design, inspired by macrophotography, layers multiple biomes into one breathtaking cosmic structure. While some world building details such as the adorable Ooooo liquid supercomputer or the origami-like Helix could have used more exploration, Pixar wisely keeps its focus on character and theme.
Unfortunately, its execution is where things start to falter. Though the story has its heart in the right place, one can’t help but wonder how different Elio might have been had it embraced its rumored queer storyline and leaned more fully into its Latin roots, rather than reducing them to a few phrases like miércoles or the song “Carmesí” by Vicente García. By erasing queer subtext and diluting cultural specificity, the film loses some of its distinctiveness and edges closer to feeling generic. That inability to decide what it wants to be limits Shi and Sharafian’s ability to tell the kind of story that deserves to be told.
Ultimately, Elio transforms the fear of alien abduction into something tender and hopeful. Elio’s desperate signals into space are less about escape and more about the universal desire to be heard. The film gently reminds us that connection does not always require reaching across galaxies. Sometimes it is about the courage to reach out to the person right in front of you.
That is the beauty of Elio. Beneath its cosmic scope and dazzling imagery, it carries a simple but profound message. True connection is an everyday act of vulnerability. Whether between an aunt and nephew, a warlord and his son, or two kids from opposite sides of the universe, Elio shows that being seen is the most extraordinary form of contact we can make.
8/10
Here’s a list of bonus features you can expect to find on the Digital and Physical releases.
Bonus Features*
Inside the Communiverse: The World and Characters of Elio – Launch behind the scenes with the cast and crew to get an in-depth look at the design and development of our meteoric main characters, as well as the making of all the celestial environments that make up Elio’s universe.
Out of This World: An Astro Q&A – Calling all space enthusiasts! Voice actors Yonas Kibreab (Elio) and Remy Edgerly (Glordon) meet with a real-life astronaut to discuss space travel, possible alien life on other planets, and why it’s important to study space.
Astronomic Art Class: Ooooo and Glordon – Join Nicolle Castro, the lead story artist, as she shares her role on the film and guides viewers through drawing a couple of the film’s interstellar characters, Ooooo and Glordon.
Extraterrestrial Easter Eggs and Fun Facts – Uncover the references and characters from some of your favorite Pixar films hidden throughout Elio, along with other fun facts.
Galactic Gag Reel – Discover the fun inside the recording booth with the starry voice actors from Disney and Pixar’s Elio as they bring their characters to life with some entertaining laughs.
Deleted Scenes – Check out the scenes that didn’t make the final cut:
– Bike Chase
– Garden Party
– Carver Legend
– Questa’s Second Test
– Home Visit
*Bonus features may vary by product and retailer
