REVIEW: ‘Elemental’ — Pixar’s latest is all about chemistry

Disney and Pixar Animation have never made a bad film, and “Elemental” is no exception. Yes, some films are going to be much better than others, but your average “The Good Dinosaur” (2015) is miles ahead of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” (2023) at least from a cinematic point of view. So when the first batch of mixed reviews for Pixar’s latest film came out of the Cannes Film Festival, there was only mild hesitation about its quality. It’s Pixar after all, so how bad could it be? 

Yes, the trailers were not great and made the film look like a “Zootopia” (2016) ripoff, but there was still hope. And though the general concept is quite reminiscent of that Oscar-winning film, following a pair of literal opposites — fire person Ember (Leah Lewis) and water person Wade (Mamoudou Athie) — who attract in a city where anthropomorphized elements — fire, water, air and earth — live together, that hope was earned: because “Elemental” is yet another Pixar banger.

That said, the film isn’t necessarily a return to form for the studio. While some may say Pixar fell down the drain in recent years, films like “Turning Red” (2022)  and “Soul” (2020)  — both critical hits if not the pop cultural phenomenons that Pixar films used to be — show that quality is not the issue. However, for those who have felt burnt out (pun intended) by Pixar and Disney Animation’s recent output, then “Elemental” is a solid example of what Pixar does best, sure to restore faith in the iconic animation house’s artistic value, if not at the box office. 

With some of their other recent films, both Pixar and Disney Animation have lost their once seamless ability to convey a message through stories. Take Disney Animation’s “Strange World” (2022) for one — in its barrage of meaningful messages, the film forgets the fun factor and is ultimately squandered by its bland story and unmemorable characters. In both “Strange World” and Pixar’s “Lightyear” (2022), the message overtook the entertainment value, but with “Elemental,” Pixar ensures once again that the message serves the story, rather than the other way around.

The true power of “Elemental” lies in its simplicity and universality. Following Ember, a driven and determined daughter of immigrant shop owners that struggles with controlling her temper, and Wade, a sensitive city inspector that cries at the drop of a tear, it’s a very simple, often predictable story, but imbued with a cultural deftness and charm that makes it truly unique. 

Despite not being rooted in reality on the surface level, “Elemental” is a film that is as culturally rich and emotionally true as films like “Coco” (2017) and “Turning Red.” This depth is all to the credit of writer-director and Pixar veteran Peter Sohn, who richly translates his and his parents’ immigrant experience through the artistically meticulous lens that only animation can provide. 

What makes Sohn’s film work so well is not its devotion to a certain ideal or image of society, but rather in its reflection of reality and how the world can move forward. In its sensitive portrayal of the immigrant experience, it is both current and timeless in its humanity and authenticity. With that authenticity and heart intact, the film is beautifully able to transcend the bounds of its subject matter to deliver something universal. 

Despite the occasional tired tropes typical to Pixar and Disney Animation’s interwoven styles of animation filmmaking, it’s an utterly transporting work thanks to the dynamic, well-balanced screenplay and stunning visuals. Simply put, “Elemental” is an exceptionally well-made film, combining Pixar’s strong suits with Sohn’s vision, keeping the groundbreaking studio at the forefront of animation amid changing audience sensibilities.

Mostly, it’s a film that wears its heart on its sleeve, as the central romance between the fiery Ember and watery Wade is organic and richly developed. A large part of this is due to the excellent voicework by Lewis and Athie. The familial relationships among Ember and her parents — Bernie (Ronnie Del Carmen) and Cinder (Shila Ommi) — also felt beautifully explored, with the actors’ vocal performances lending a lot of warmth to the film. 

Ember and Wade’s romantic chemistry, however, fuels the better part of the film, and the song choices, as well as Thomas Newman’s luminous score. In service of the film’s romcom sensibility, they give “Elemental” lots of personality and allow it to stand out from similar animated fare.

Though the presentation of Element City is reminiscent of the tongue-in-cheek wit and humor of “Zootopia,” it still feels very much like its own unique place. The film blends a scientific understanding of elements and their properties with Pixar and Disney Animation’s omnipresent, computer-animated flair, abundant in cultural knowledge — the clear Middle Eastern influences on Firetown were a welcome surprise — and sprinkled with clever blink-and-you-miss-it visual gags, to create a world that feels lived in and true. 

The film itself is visually extraordinary. The animation is gorgeous and inspired in its design, and both the settings and character designs are vibrantly textured and stunning to look at in motion, pushing the envelope for the “Pixar look” with its blend of 2D and 3D properties to represent such abstract visuals as a walking flame.

Using Ember and Wade’s inconceivable chemistry, “Elemental” cleverly defies the undeniable antithesis of fire and water. Relationships and chemistry often make no sense in real life, and the film understands that idea and pays it off in spades. At the start of the film, the divided Element City feels eerily familiar. “Elements cannot mix,” reminds Ember’s mother, Cinder, halfway through the film. 

But what if they can? In Sohn’s beautiful and cathartic film, these diversely, remarkably unscientific chemical bonds are not only existent, but undeniably “elemental” to our very being.