The protagonist of this film would have loved listening to Art Bell’s “Coast to Coast AM” in the 1990s.
That’s because the titular Elio (Yonas Kibreab) is a UFO fanatic who doesn’t just want to make first contact. The 11-year-old has aspirations of being abducted and meeting aliens from out of this world. His motivation is deeper than just a fascination with visitors, though.
Elio, tragically, lost his parents at a young age and his relationship with his new guardian, his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), has been strained. Eventually, Elio’s wish is granted and he’s taken aboard an alien ship, with the extraterrestrials believing he’s an ambassador for Earth. He goes along with the ruse, but he may be in over his head.
“Elio” is Pixar’s fourth film in the last five years to feature a young character going through some tough moments of adolescence, and unfortunately, it’s the weakest. While it doesn’t reach the levels of “Luca,” “Turning Red” or “Inside Out 2,” though, the film does at least offer a fun, heartfelt adventure.
The movie starts off strong, with an endearing first act. Not only is Elio a sympathetic character because of his backstory, his wonder and fascination with space and the possibility of alien life is inspired.
Finding a deep interest in something and devoting time and effort to it is something quite relatable in adolescence, and “Elio” manages to capture that nicely. Elio’s passion for the subject is of course compounded by his situation, too, adding to the emotional resonance. Elio hopes to be abducted by a UFO, as he feels he doesn’t fit in among others, or even with his own aunt.
The section involving him actually meeting a council of alien races and getting into a situation where he’s in over his head makes for a fun development, too. Sometimes a character digging themselves into a hole can be frustrating to watch, but a viewer can empathize with Elio because of his desperation.
Where the film begins to stumble is in its second half. As the plot thickens with the main antagonist and another primary character being introduced, the story gets messy. Behind the scenes, the movie had a change in directors and several rewrites, and that is somewhat reflected in the plot which feels choppy in the second half.
It’s unfortunate, because there are some really good ideas at play in the latter portion of the film, and those concepts do lead to good scenes. But they simply aren’t as tight-knit as one would hope. It feels inconsistent and leads to a third act that, while still ultimately satisfying, is rushed as well.
Character-wise, Elio is a solid protagonist. He’s a spunky and ambitious kid who’s easy to root for, even when he makes some mistakes. Olga is likable as well, but she doesn’t get nearly enough screen time. She definitely should have been more involved in the overall story. As for the ETs, while there are some fun personalities, the main aliens are a bit one-note.
Overall, “Elio” manages to be an enjoyable experience for the most part. It hits the right notes on the emotional beats, exploring subjects of grief, family, friendship, isolation and connecting with others, and it looks good doing so with solid animation. However, the story and character work, while offering some good bits, do leave something to be desired. 3.5 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 
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