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As I write this film analysis from a decidedly plush café in Taguig, the world outside is, quite literally, at war. Israel and Iran are planning their next moves, and frankly, that’s just one of many geopolitical dumpster fires currently raging. It’s enough to make anyone want to escape this planet, isn’t it? To find some semblance of peace, or at least a brief respite from the perpetual chaos, a yearning perfectly embodied by Elio.
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| Disney and Pixar’s “Elio” releases in theaters June 18, 2025. © 2025 Disney/Pixar |
Elio, an 11-year-old orphan, in a display of pre-teen desperation, literally wishes to be abducted by aliens. This rather extreme desire for otherworldly connection drives the latest offering from Disney and Pixar, the very studio that moved audiences with “Inside Out 2” just last year.
While “Elio”
purports to be an “original film” that veers from the standard Pixar blueprint,
make no mistake: it’s still an emotionally hefty journey. It’s designed to hit
all the familiar beats, albeit with an interstellar backdrop. It works, but
perhaps a little too predictably.
“Elio” shoves its
titular character into the “Communiverse,” where, through a convenient twist of
fate, he stumbles into becoming Earth’s accidental ambassador. The narrative
then proceeds with the sort of intergalactic diplomacy only an 11-year-old
could pull off.
The film’s
reliance on a universal translator is a particularly neat trick. It
effortlessly bridges species gaps that would otherwise make for actual conflict
or, heaven forbid, require complex character development. The film conveniently
side-steps any real interspecies complexities by simply making all
communication barriers magically disappear.
Central to Elio’s
predictable arc of self-discovery and belonging is Glordon, voiced by Remy
Edgerly. Glordon is, without a doubt, the film’s strategically deployed
adorable character, a calculated emotional trap designed to illicit maximum “awws”
and ensure audience investment.
This “tender-hearted
princeling” fulfills his role admirably, providing the saccharine friendship
Elio needs to heal and grow. And yes, the film doles out those short, impactful
lines like “Are we alone?” and the almost saccharine “Okay. Bye. Love you,”
engineered to resonate deeply. The pacing is, as expected, well-oiled, ensuring
every emotional beat lands exactly where it’s supposed to.
While “Elio”
boasts the expected dazzling animation and moments of contrived humor, its most
resonant (and perhaps most frustrating) message comes when it dares to look
back at our own warring planet. The film’s most poignant scene sees various
countries on Earth, communicating via their advanced space tech, miraculously
cooperating to help Elio and his aunt navigate treacherous space debris. It’s
an undeniably moving image, a powerful, albeit idealistic fantasy, of global
collaboration.
This singular,
unifying moment is a stark, almost painful, reminder of what we could be
but so rarely are in our chaotic real world. It’s the film’s plea for “faith in
humanity,” delivered to us by an animated alien adventure. One has to wonder:
is it truly faith, or just a desperate longing for a fictional reality?
Beyond being just
another space adventure, “Elio” is a timely, if somewhat formulaic, escape.
It’s a story about finding peace and belonging, not through genuine, messy
human effort, but through convenient extraterrestrial encounters and a brief,
shining, on-screen moment of global unity.
For those desperately needing a cinematic balm from the current global climate, “Elio” offers a brief, effective, and perhaps even necessary illusion of connection. It’s a cosmic journey that reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful force in the universe is the human desire for things to simply be better. Even if we have to look to the stars to find that hope. — WALPHS.com