Last year, Inside Out 2 became the highest-grossing animated film in history. While that didn’t necessarily make it the best, it signaled that Pixar was back to form. After that massive success, Disney/Pixar follows it up with a space tale for boys…can lightning strike twice with Elio? Well, this is Disney after all.
Elio (Yonas Kibreab) is a stoic 11-year-old boy coping with the recent loss of his parents. While visiting a space museum with his guardian, Aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), Elio discovers the wonders of space and the possibility of life beyond Earth. His imagination runs wild, and he wishes aliens would take him away.
Meanwhile, Olga works at a top-secret government facility, where she and her team have been trying to decode mysterious signals from outer space. Struggling to connect with her nephew, she instructs Elio to stay put in her office for ten minutes while she steps out. While Elio sits alone in the quiet office, his ordinary day takes a dramatic turn. Alarms blare, and the entire facility’s computer screens light up with a startling message from beyond: “Bring us your leader.”
TAKING UP SPACE – When 11-year-old Elio (voice of Yonas Kibreab) is beamed up to space, he finds himself in the Communiverse. He makes his first real friend, an alien called Glordon (voice of Remy Edgerly), and meets representatives from galaxies far and wide. Among them are Ambassador Tegman (far right), Ambassador Helix (second from right), Ambassador Turais (third from right) and Ambassador Questa (left of Glordon). Disney and Pixar’s “Elio” releases in theaters June 20, 2025. © 2025 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
“Elio is lauded as a hero, believing he is the leader of Uh-Earth.”
The commotion inspires Elio to attempt to contact the possible alien lifeforms. He pieces together a makeshift transmitter using a HAM radio from a teen radio enthusiast. After hiding his true motivations and essentially stealing the kid’s radio, Elio is nearly beaten up for the deception, only to be rescued by some alien beings, who take him to a “sparkling space city” called the Communiverse. Here, Elio is lauded as a hero, believing he is the leader of Uh-Earth.
It pains me to say this, but Elio earns the dubious distinction of being the worst Pixar movie ever made. Story-wise, Elio is for children…mostly young boys…unlike every Pixar movie, there is nothing for adults. Mom—Dad! Be prepared to be bored for ninety minutes while your child takes in the cute aliens and slapstick humor. And don’t expect much merchandising—it’s almost nonexistent.
"…Be prepared to be bored for ninety minutes..."
