Product Info

Studio

Pixar

Director

Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Genre

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Rated

PG

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Jun 20, 2025

Film Length

1hr 39min

Purchase From

Pixar’s latest animated film, Elio is a colorful and heartwarming ride that many will enjoy.

We’re Not Alone

© 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Elio Solis, the main character of the film, lives with his aunt Olga after losing his parents. Feeling left out, alone and misunderstood, Elio wishes he was abducted by aliens to find a place where he can feel belonged. After a few mishaps with interference at his aunt’s workplace inside the military, Elio gets his wish and is abducted. Greeted by a vast set of characters in all different sizes and colors, Elio feels as happy as he ever was since the beginning of the film. Identified as the “Leader of Earth,” Elio doesn’t correct their mistake and looks to become an ambassador to stay forever with the aliens with a life of freedom and technology that’s far more advanced than Earth.

However, things become complicated for the eleven year-old boy. Before being accepted, he’s tasked to negotiate with the aggressive alien, Lord Grigon, who tries to pressure the easy-going aliens into letting him and his race join the committee. Things don’t go so well, and through a few attempts to escape, Elio meets Glordon, Grigon’s son. From here on, the two hit it off very well and become great friends.

Best Pals

© 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Elio’s path from loneliness to meeting a friend who understands each other makes it a fun story to follow. From having an eventful time sliding down water slides to indulging in junk food to serious matters of life and death scenarios such as going through an asteroid field and avoiding capture. During this time, both Elio and Glordon realize that their caregivers showcase how much their absence means to them and that their lives do have meanings back at their original homes. Accepting who they are and giving another shot instead of throwing it away. However, while things go well for all parties at the end, it leaves a lot of questions on what happens afterward that feels like the film left a lot of holes still not covered.

Colorful Bunch

© 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

The world of Elio feels vast at certain points but contained in areas such as Grigon’s spaceship and the headquarters of the alien ambassadors. Its visuals and effects are stunning, where Pixar has always triumphed. While the aliens’ shapes and sizes have some unique designs and colors, the humans, in comparison, feel lackluster with its rounded shapes that resemble Pixar’s designs in the past few films. For example, Pixar’s UP had its own unique human characteristic but after 2020, the designs, aside from Inside Out 2, feel too similar. The soundtrack does a good job with its symphonic moments that don’t overtake the dialogue, making just enough impact to add emotion to the character’s dialogue.

Final Flight

Elio is a colorful and charming journey into the universe that kids will surely enjoy. It teaches them how to embrace self-acceptance and new beginnings.

An early screening provided for this review. Elio arrives in theaters on June 20th. Fans can visit the official website for additional information and tickets.