Is humanity the only species in the cosmos?
In Pixar’s Elio, this query lingers in the mind of 11-year-old orphan Elio Solís (voiced by Yonas Kibreab). It’s not the fear of extraterrestrials that keeps him awake at night, but a desire for them to rescue him from his dismal existence on Earth.
Luckily for Elio, aliens make their appearance, transporting him to the colorful “Communiverse,” a realm as creative as Pixar’s other masterpieces such as Coco‘s Land of the Dead or Inside Out‘s mental landscape. Elio delves into the protagonist’s solitude, paralleling humanity’s search for alien life with Elio’s quest for companionship. Directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian weave a heartfelt tale about finding connections in the most unexpected places, a theme that resonates with Pixar, yet enlivened by Elio‘s distinctive environment and endearing protagonist.
What’s the story behind Elio?
After the loss of his parents, Elio resides with his aunt, Major Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldaña), at an Air Force base. He fills his days attempting to reach out to aliens, wishing for an abduction to flee his lonely circumstances. His friends and Olga do not share his faith in extraterrestrials, leaving him feeling alienated.
When an enigmatic signal reaches Olga’s base, Elio views it as undeniable evidence of alien life and reacts, resulting in his abduction to the Communiverse. Mistaken for Earth’s ruler, Elio navigates this unfamiliar landscape amidst the threat posed by the fierce Lord Grigon (voiced by Brad Garrett). Elio’s adventures include forging a friendship with Grigon’s offspring, Glordon (voiced by Remy Edgerly), who turns away from his people’s hostile nature.
Elio tells a beautiful story of friendship and familial bonds.
The camaraderie between Elio and Glordon is vital to the plot. Glordon discovers acceptance with Elio, while Elio finds a companion who doesn’t judge him. Their relationship is sincere, with Elio including Glordon in his plans rather than exploiting him. Simultaneously, Elio and Olga’s connection deepens as they work to comprehend one another, culminating in a touching resolution.
Elio enhances these narratives with its emphasis on space travel and humanity’s quest for alien existence. The film connects Elio’s pursuit of belonging with the Golden Record’s objective to communicate with alien communities, underscoring the theme of seeking one’s kin, be it in the cosmos or at home.
Pixar ventures into delightful strangeness in Elio.
Directors Shi and Sharafian fully embrace Elio‘s science fiction aspects, presenting a wide variety of extraterrestrials. The Communiverse showcases an assortment of worlds, juxtaposed against Grigon’s ominous warship. The film introduces imaginative sci-fi concepts like “cloning clay,” adding a hint of body horror reminiscent of classic sci-fi cinema.
These bold creative choices allow Elio to shine, delivering a film that is inventive, whimsical, and wonderfully bizarre.
Elio opens in theaters on June 20.