Elemental
Year: 2023
Rating: PG
Length: 101 minutes / 1.68 hours
I initially wasn’t too sold on the concept of Elemental (2023). The idea that elements live together in a city felt a bit too close to Zootopia (2016) to be truly original. However, Pixar (generally) has a good handle on stories, and I eventually gave this one a shot. I was surprised to find not only an approachable love story—which is rare for Pixar—but a touching look at expectations from immigrant parents and what it’s like to integrate into a society that isn’t made for you. As always, the visuals were striking, and the emotions were heartfelt.
While the movie poked fun at certain human-based design decisions for the city (like when both main characters easily pass through a chain-link fence), the overall concept felt thought out enough to truly invoke the ethnic boroughs that many cities have for immigrants of similar ethnic backgrounds. Choosing the fire people to be the “odd element out” was a smart move since air, earth, and water usually work well together and are negatively affected by (or negatively affect) fire. That sense of not belonging in a new space just based on who you are struck home.
With the latest string of Pixar films focusing on parent-child relationships, Elemental feels a bit more grown up than dealing with a missing parent (Onward (2020)) or handling the changes that come with puberty (Turning Red (2022)). Even Luca (2021) seemed more focused on younger children leaving the nest instead of independent adult children who want to pursue their own dreams. That’s probably why Elemental successfully managed to bring romance into a production company that has focused on non-romantic stories for over 20 years.
A visual treat that explores themes of immigration and following our dreams, I give Elemental 4.5 stars out of 5.
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