Movie Review: Elemental

Rated PG for some peril, thematic elements and brief language

With their ability to make films out of almost anything (toys, cars, emotions), PIXAR Animation Studios’ latest feature centers around the natural elements of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.

Set in Element City, the main story focuses on Ember (Leah Lewis), the daughter of fire immigrants whose life has been all about helping her family run their business. When an unexpected mishap causes her to cross paths with a watery inspector named Wade (Mamoudou Athie), Ember finds herself struggling to save the business, but also has her eyes opened to some new experiences outside of her own world.

Ember (Leah Lewis) and Wade (Mamoudou Athie) attend an Airball game.

Right off the bat, some may find the concept of the bustling metropolis of Element City to seem very similar to the look and feel of Zootopia. Much like that world, the city is seen as a melting pot where all manner of beings can live together, but not everything is perfect when one gets deeper into the city.

This is most notable in how a number of the fire citizenry are treated. While those of water, earth, and sky move freely around the central areas, those like Ember do not venture outside of their little area of the city, and their rather destructive nature makes them targets of prejudice by some.

For much of the film, director Peter Sohn juggles a number of elements (get it?), from immigration to family traditions, as well as inter-racial relationships and trying to find oneself. Unfortunately, it feels like the film doesn’t go far enough to balance these elements in a satisfying way.

Wade and Ember fly over Element City.

This seems to be the case when it comes to Ember and Wade’s growing relationship that we see onscreen. There are hints that something is forming between them, but the film pulls back from really delving into some deeper elements as Ember struggles with her feelings, especially given her parents and others telling of how “fire and water cannot mix.” This could have gotten pretty deep in delving into an area of relationships PIXAR rarely tackles. For a good portion of the film, Ember and Wade’s interactions are connected via some “ticking clock” story points. I feel this could have maybe been dropped, let alone also put focus on Ember coming to grips with trying to work through her family’s prejudices against water persons like Wade.

There is also a subplot about Ember having a talent that she never considered could be something she could develop and nurture, but it feels so much like an afterthought, that one almost forgets it until a story point near the end of the film. And…let’s just say there are also some things that Ember and a number of fire denizens do, that made me wonder “how.”

Ember leaves her neighborhood, and ventures deeper into Element City.

Despite the story issues, Elemental is a film where PIXAR does not skimp on the artistry. They have always given everything when putting their vision on the screen, and seeing this in theaters surely will remind people that their films are made for a big-screen firsthand. Plus, the effects animation for all of the elementals and their interactions with different persons/places/materials, are going to be things that most of those watching the film will never think twice about…which just shows how masterful the studio is at making personalities and characters out of these elements.

In the end, Elemental is a good film from PIXAR Animation Studios, but it feels like a few of their most-recent films (sans Turning Red) where a bit more time was needed to make something great. Compared to Peter Sohn’s directorial work on the short Partly Cloudy and the film The Good Dinosaur, this is his strongest picture yet. However, I do hope the next one he does will have a much stronger story.

Final Grade: B–

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Short Review: Carl’s Date

This marks the first time a short has played before a PIXAR film since Incredibles 2.

In this tie-in to the film Up (as well as the Disney+ series Dug Days), Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) is requested out on a date with a friend. While Carl frets about if he should go through with the request, Dug (Bob Peterson) tries the best he can to help his master with his problem.

While the short has a few cute moments, I was hoping for something a bit more “original.” The shorts before a film I often felt were a great way for the studio to showcase their artists doing some great things with the tools they had, and giving us a hint at who to watch out for at the studio regarding upcoming or new talent.

Final Grade: B–