Film Review - "Elemental"

Elemental

Directed by Peter Sohn

Starring Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, and Ronnie del Carmen

Pixar has been going through a bit of a turbulent time the last few years (So has the rest of Hollywood but I digress). Onward opened at the start of the pandemic. Soul, Luca, and Turning Red were all unceremoniously dumped on Disney Plus. Lightyear was supposed to be Pixar's grand return to cinemas, and then it bombed. 

Many are saying Pixar have lost their touch for filmmaking, to which I say "Well if you actually took the time to watch any of these films you'll see that's not true." Three of these films were tossed into the sea of content on Disney Plus, and with everything on that streaming platform, it wouldn't be that surprising if they got lost in the shuffle, and faded from the public's memory. Hell, do you know how many Netflix Original Films have been collecting dust on my Watch-List for years because I'd rather watch Is It Cake or old episodes of Pokemon?

Lightyear is a separate issue, or rather two separate issues. First being the general public didn't seem to understand the "complex" concept (Let's say it again...it's about THE MAN, who INSPIRED the TOY...). Second is, regardless of the quality of the film, audiences have been trained to think "Well why pay theater prices when I know it's going to drop on Disney Plus in a few months?"

The pandemic has changed how we watch movies, for better or worse. This summer's box office is the most crowded it's been since 2019. It seems like every week the tabloids are reporting how films are opening below expectations, and are commercial failures, but that's just the market now. It's not the films. Which (finally) brings me to Pixar's latest endeavor, Elemental, which opened last month. 

Elemental had a pretty weak opening weekend (It released against The Flash, starring famous war-criminal Ezra Miller. And everyone saw that instead...I'm very disappointed in you.) but ever since then word-of-mouth has been spreading and it's been gaining momentum. I am here to do more of that "word-of-mouth" thing. Elemental is one of Pixar's greatest films in years and you should all be going to see it.

The film takes place in the fictional Element City, where personified citizens of earth, wind, fire, and water co-exist. Ember (Lewis) is the fire daughter of Bernie (del Carmen) and Cinder (Shila Ommi) who immigrated from their homeland to the city. Ember struggles to follow in her father's footsteps and take over their family store so he can retire. One day an accident in the store brings Wade (Athie), a water guy and city inspector into Ember's life. The store then becomes in danger of being shutdown by the city, but Wade decides to help Ember prevent that from happening. As the two work together to save the store, they grow closer, despite their obvious differences.

First of all, whoever was in charge of marketing this film should be fired. There is so much more here than "romantic comedy where opposites attract but it's cartoon fire and water". Yes, there is a romance at the center of it but there's also incredibly strong themes of xenophobia, immigration, generational trauma (Lot of that in animated films these days), and self-worth. The idea of sentient elements does come off as Pixar parodying itself, but the premise fits so well into these themes. It's not a gimmick.

Ember is one of Pixar's most compelling protagonists, and her journey is so relatable. The character work in the script is top-notch, from her own personal struggles, to her relationships with her father and Wade. Wade isn't really given as much development as Ember, but he is there to support her arc. The two of them are an adorable pairing. It's hard not to root for this couple. The way they both play off each other and work together is so endearing. I want these two to be plastered all over the Disney Valentine stuff alongside Wall-E and EVE, Rapunzel and Flynn, Aladdin and Jasmine, etc. and I want to see couples dress up as them for Halloween this year.

The animation in this film is gorgeous. The way the elements are portrayed you would swear you are watching actual water and fire onscreen. Each of the elements are characterized so uniquely, and the setting of the city is incredibly detailed and supports the story so well. It's built to service the likes of earth, water, and wind, but the fire citizens have to live on the outskirts of the city because it wasn't built with them in mind. Seeing Ember and other fire people navigate this environment is low-key harrowing. Honestly this film reminded me a lot of Zootopia, which is high praise. 

During a time where the cast of animated films are stacked with A-List celebrities, Elemental casts two relative unknowns as its leads, and that works to the film's advantage. Never once are you distracted by the voice work. Lewis and Athie are so good in these roles and have amazing chemistry. The emotion behind these performances give some live-action onscreen pairings a run for their money.  Again, this film is not a romantic comedy, but the love story in it is chef's kiss. Bring tissues.

Do not wait for this film to drop on Disney Plus. It's the summer. It's hot out. Go to theaters with your kids, your parents, and support this beautiful film. Elemental is a true return to form for Pixar, and arguably it's best since Coco. It's a heartwarming story that resonates on so many levels and deserves to be seen on the big screen. If the film continues to gain steam at the box office, this may be the start of a new renaissance for Pixar...or you know, you can just go see The Flash, and then we'll get Incredibles 3, Cars 4, and...Rata-TWO-ille?