Sparks Fly for Pixar’s Elemental – A Movie Review
Elemental is Pixar’s latest feature film that released in theaters June 16. The film stars Leah Lewis as the voice of Ember Lumen and Mamoudou Athie as Wade. In Elemental, four elements live together in harmony in “Element City.” The story begins with Ember’s parents migrating from the home to live in Element City. Mirroring the real world immigrant experience they work hard to establish themselves and build a thriving small shop that the Lumens hope will someday become the legacy of their daughter.
While Element city is diverse in its population, it is reinforced early that “Elements Don’t Mix” and for the most part fire elements find themselves secluded to their own neighborhoods harboring ill feelings towards the other elements, but mostly water. Burdened by the great weight of responsibility Ember wrestles with the pressures of assuming control of the family business.
One day in an emotional (and literal) explosion she causes a rupture in the basement pipes in which Wade (A Water Element was trapped). While the two start off on the wrong foot, they soon learn that they can work together and just go with the flow. An unexpected romance and a heartwarming story of finding new paths while staying true to your heritage is at the very heart of the story.
Related: Elemental Records Second Worst Opening Weekend in Pixar History
Pixar’s Elemental is a gorgeous film and a heartwarming story that packs all the usual feels we expect from the animation studio. The concept seems to follow a familiar pattern bringing inanimate things to live in their own world.
In a way the film felt very much like Zootopia meets Inside Out, but having loved both of those films viewers may feel right at home with this new story. Ultimately Elemental is a story about celebrating family and tradition, but it’s also about forging your own path and finding a new way. Much of the film touches upon diversity and different backgrounds coming together to make the world a brighter place.
While Elemental certainly underperformed at the box office, the film is a creative masterpiece that we anticipate many are waiting for on Disney+. Consumption of Disney and Pixar animation still seems to lag from the effects of the pandemic with viewers opting to watch from the comforts of their homes only weeks after the release in theaters. Elemental may suffer financial hardships at the box-office, but this film doesn’t suffer on the creative achievements that we have come to expect from Pixar.
Ultimately Pixar’s Elemental is a film that will delight kids, but also has a deep enough story to hold the adults. Elemental is now in theaters worldwide. It is directed by Peter Sohn and written by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, and Brenda Hsueh. The film draws inspiration from Peter Sohn‘s life with his parents immigrating to the USA from Korea. Sohn’s family also opened up a grocery store named Sohn’s Fruits and Vegetables, very similar to Ember’s family in the film. Elemental doesn’t move the needle in terms of creative storytelling from Pixar, but we still think it is a worthwhile film and can’t wait to see it again. Four out of Five Stars.
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