Elio - Review

I'm a Bargaining Chip.

Review written by Jack Aling

Elio is written by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer & Mike Jones & Directed by Adrian Molina, Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian.

Starring Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña & Remy Edgerly.

Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be. 

Seemingly buried by Disney, Elio is a charming effort from Pixar that includes all of the heart of their previous films but lacks the impact that made them so memorable.

I will always be on the side of taking risks on original ideas and exploring loneliness through an intergalactic lens, and the eyes of a child achieve exactly that, pulling on the heartstrings that Pixar had perfected.

Although the idea may be original, it does feel like a story of acceptance that audiences have seen time and time again - Elio fails to stand out despite Pixar's signature magic throughout.

Our verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Elio arrives in UK Cinemas June 20th 2025

Read more of Jack's reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling