My family of four went to see the newest Pixar movie installment, Elemental, last week. We were not sure what to think about this movie heading to our seats, but we left the theater being quite happy with our choice. I’m going to review a few parts of the film, so please stop reading if you don’t want to hear any spoilers!
Before we get to the main film, let's talk about the short that plays beforehand: Carl's Date. Our favorite senior citizen is back on the big screen in this touching Pixar Short. Carl is going to go on a date, and with the help of Dug, he has a wide range of emotions before actually heading for the date. My wife and I couldn’t help but be emotional about Carl’s consistent love for Ellie, and without spoiling too much, there were some tears shed from our seats.
Ok, now to the feature film. I am not going to go through a full synopsis of the plot of Elemental, but I want to highlight a few pieces of the film that our family found interesting and entertaining. The beginning scene shows Ember’s parents immigrating to Elemental City. This whole segment was amazing. Just the thought of moving away from your homeland resonates with so many people, and my kids were able to see visually what that situation would be like.
Speaking of fire, the family store, the Fire Shop, was so much fun to watch in action. Ember’s interaction with her parents made me feel grateful for my own family unit and think how others have sacrificed for me. Seeing the food that was sold to the other fire element characters was well done. I was wanting to pause the movie so I could read all of the labels and items for sale in the store. I’m sure there are some Easter eggs hidden in that place that I missed, making this. a movie worth watching again.
Wade’s character and family were also a highlight to me. The family reminded me somewhat of the family from Meet the Robinsons, always caring and giving support to each other. Our family could not helping laughing when the water family would cry. It was just perfect for the element of water.
To me, the highlight of the film was the animation itself. The element characters were so detailed. From Ember’s fire to Wade’s water, it was all just stunning. I was glad to see this film in the theater because I could actually see all of it. I know I could have waited to see the film on Disney+, but I think I would have missed so much of that terrific animation.
Overall, this was a fun film for our family. We probably came in with lower expectations due to the various initial reviews and low initial box office numbers, but our family was able to have some good conversations and discussions after watching the movie. I’d recommend watching Elemental before it leaves theaters. Enjoy!