Pixar’s ‘Elio’ is thought-provoking sci-fi for all ages

Elio

Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina (Pixar, 2025)

Featuring clones, aliens, and supercomputers, Elio is an out-of-this-world adventure that shoots for the stars—both literally (it’s an outer-space adventure) and metaphorically (illuminating lofty ideals and heavenly concepts like forgiveness, purpose, and the meaning of life). Taking on themes and topics such as honesty and belonging, bullying and self-acceptance, Elio manages to approach these topics with a balance of gravity and humor. Perhaps most impressively, the film approaches big questions without crashing into overly trite territory: Are we alone? What moral obligations might Earthlings have terrestrially and beyond our atmosphere?

Disney-Pixar’s latest film follows the titular Elio, a child who mistakenly becomes Earth’s ambassador to an interstellar community. The film weaves real-world space exploration history and scientific context into the supporting structure and plotting of the film’s world, or more accurately, its universe. This adds a layer of richness and realism, juxtaposed against the film’s otherwise loose sci-fi whimsy, which should be intriguing to adults and children alike.

The animation physics—grains of sand, flowing water, light, shadows and stars—are impressive. As audiences have come to expect from a marquee Pixar production, the pacing, voice-acting, scoring, and dialogue are all top-notch.

Barring some intermittent frights, many of which are comedically inverted and resolve on an upbeat note, Elio is full of action, humor, and interstellar adventure. The pervasive astronomical themes and spectacular visuals will delight children who already gravitate toward outer space and astronauts. Emotionally, Elio might be heavier than some Pixar flicks. But the stakes, both literally galactic and deeply interpersonal, make for a compelling, pathos-driven blast.

Elio is now available to stream on Disney+.