Review: Elemental

In Pixar’s first romantic comedy, a fiery woman meets a go-with-the-flow type of guy, and they fall in love. And, of course, there is a star-crossed love aspect because these two elements just don’t go together… literally. Because they are fire and water. So will the two find a way to create a new kind of chemistry? Or will their love burn out?

Like most Pixar movies, Elemental finds a way somehow to be a cute and fun movie for kids while also giving adults an existential crisis. This movie will also hit hard for immigrant families. Because it tackles themes of what it’s like to leave your home to build a new and better life for your child. It also touches on the generational trauma of children not wanting to disappoint their parents because they gave them that wonderful life.

The film opens with Bernie(Ronnie Del Carmen) and Cinder(Shila Ommi) moving to a new city to start a new life for their daughter Ember (Leah Lewis). After being denied housing because of their fiery nature, the two find a part of town that welcomes their same spark for life. As Ember grows, she follows in her father’s footsteps. She learns everything about the business he built so he can finally retire. The only problem is her temper with customers is not the best. As she tries to control the wildfire growing inside her, she has an outburst that causes damage and could put her family’s business in hot water. A city inspector named Wade (Mamoudou Athie) washes in and immediately starts citing things that are wrong. Now the two must work together to save the business her mother and father worked so hard to create. But something else is bubbling under their newfound friendship. As love sparks, can these two elements create a different chemistry to be together?

It goes without saying that the animation in this film is stunning. It’s Pixar. The animation is always top-notch. What made the art different is how they mixed different styles together to create a cohesive environment while giving each element its own sense of style. The artistry on fire felt otherworldly, while water cleverly flowed into each scene. The clouds looked like delicious cotton candy, while the nature elements felt raw and earthy.

Elemental is humorous without being too over-the-top, unlike most animated films. The jokes felt more mature and may even go over kids’ heads. The story was built for an older audience as well. Sure, it’s a cute love story that children will enjoy, but adults will feel the weight of many situations. Again, this is a Pixar movie. It’s a movie created for children, but it’s actually made for adults to enjoy.

This may be the studio’s first romantic comedy, but they know how to garner emotion, so it’s done incredibly well. It is full of clichés and cringe-worthy moments, but all of it makes you fall in love with the characters. At times, it even feels like a cross between a Nancy Meyer’s film and Pushing Daisies (you know, because they can’t touch).

Elemental is irresistibly likable. You will fall in love right alongside the characters. It’s great for kids, but adults will enjoy this just as much. It touches on immigrant families, interracial relationships, and how to deal with feeling like you’re letting your parent’s down. It even touches on the fact that your parents just want what’s best for you, and your happiness is all that matters. It’s also just an incredible world that you’ll want to spend more time in long after the credits roll. So get your kids, prepare to laugh and cry (sometimes at the same time), and have a lovely time watching Elemental.