Review | Elio movie review: Pixar’s take on E.T. is a rare misfire from the animation studio
The story of an orphaned boy and aliens who believe he is the leader of Earth, Elio paints a pretty picture but lacks the usual Pixar punch
2.5/5 stars
In an industry where originality is becoming an increasing rarity, Pixar is one company that prides itself on carving out unique stories. But not every story lands perfectly, a thought that strikes when it comes to the animation giant’s latest feature, Elio.
The tale of an orphaned boy who desperately wants to discover life in outer space, it’s maybe the closest we’ve come to seeing Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rendered in cartoon form – despite having far less of an impact.
When we join Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), he is hiding under a canteen table. We never find out what happened to his parents, but he is now the responsibility of his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña), who works on a military base.
Olga is kindly but unable to connect with her traumatised nephew. Instead, all he wants is to encounter interplanetary life forms. “Aliens abduct me,” he scrawls in the sand on the beach near the base.
Then, as he is being bullied by some local kids, his wish comes true. He is spirited away to meet an array of colourful aliens – the so-called Communiverse.