There are few brands as well-respected in Hollywood as Pixar, though the iconic animation studio has faced an awkward period ever since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. With its best 2020s offerings going straight to Disney+ (Soul, Turning Red) and its grand return to theaters largely considered a disappointment (Lightyear), many have turned to Pixar’s latest release, Elemental, with some high expectations. On paper, the colorful and impressively animated film appears to be a return to form for the studio. In reality, Elemental is bursting with clever ideas and timely social commentary, but ultimately passes over both for a more conventional tale.
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In the vividly-drawn Element City, the four elements live together in not-quite harmony. Water, air, and earth folk mingle freely on the streets, at sporting matches, and on public transit while, in their own neighborhood removed from the rest of the city, the fire people have formed their own tight-knit community. That is where Ember (Leah Lewis) resides with her parents, who kick off Elemental when they emigrate from their volcanic homeland to Element City. Ember’s father, Bernie (Ronnie del Carmen), runs a convenience store and has big dreams of someday letting his daughter take over. Bernie has also raised Ember to wholeheartedly believe that elements do not mix, which only leads to deeper issues when a pipe bursts at the store and literally drags Wade (Mamoudou Athie), a sensitive water element, into Ember’s life.

Voices of Mamoudou Athie and Leah Lewis in Elemental

The burst pipe is tied to a bigger (and somewhat convoluted) issue within Element City, a mysterious leak that has begun sending water into the not-water-friendly Fire Town. Desperate to save the store, Ember reluctantly teams up with Wade to track down the source of the leak. This partnership brings the two clashing elements closer together, fueling a relationship that eventually becomes the bulk of Elemental’s plot. Directed by Pixar mainstay Peter Sohn (The Good Dinosaur), Elemental is a movie full of compelling ideas, seen in the inventive ways Element City is brought to life and the urgent parallels between real life prejudice and the fictional version that springs up between the elements. Fire folk are heavily ostracized within the city, and this is shown most poignantly through various flashbacks for Bernie and Ember.

However, despite the way Elemental appears to set itself up to be an allegory for racism in our world, the movie never confronts the separation of the elements in a direct way. Instead, Ember and Wade’s burgeoning romance takes center stage. Elemental does a good job at exploring how a relationship between people from very different walks of life can be complicated and painful, and Ember and Wade are such well-rounded characters that it can be easy to root for them. At the same time, though, the story is a missed opportunity. Elemental introduces such a fascinating world, but it never gets the development it deserves. This leaves the movie with an uneven plot that loses some steam around the middle.

Voice of Leah Lewis in Elemental

Perhaps the strongest part of Elemental is the bond between Ember and Bernie. A desperation to make her father proud propels Ember forward, while Bernie is driven by giving Ember the best life possible. A moment between the two at the very end of Elemental holds more emotion than the rest of the film and makes the journey, as shaky as it is, worth it. Even while the story falters, the movie is visually incredible. Each element is represented with its own design, with the fire people perhaps the most strikingly rendered. In addition to the stunning visuals, Elemental is further aided by a strong voice cast. Lewis perfectly captures Ember’s fiery nature, while Athie draws both laughs and compassion as the weepy and earnestly sweet Wade. Comedy vets Wendi McLendon-Covey and Catherine O’Hara get in strong supporting roles, and del Carmen brings a sturdy warmth to Bernie.

Elemental might’ve been viewed by some as the movie to restore Pixar’s might on the big screen, but it unfortunately falls a bit short of the greatness the studio is known for. There is still plenty to enjoy here, and audiences of all ages will no doubt be charmed by the vibrant world the movie brings to life. However, with a story that misses the mark, Elemental is left swimming in the shallow end of Pixar’s filmography.

Elemental releases in theaters Friday, June 16. It is 103 minutes long and rated PG for some peril, thematic elements, and brief language.

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