From Jeff Nelson

The Pixar magic has the power to bring out the child in all of us. Unfortunately, Elemental doesn’t have the enchanting touch that audiences have come to know and love, barely scratching the surface of the glorious world-building the studio is known for. 

Elements from around the world pursue a new life in Element City, seeking greater opportunities for the future, but they aren’t all treated equally. Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis) is a ball of fire working in her father’s (Ronnie Del Carmen) shop, which he hopes to one day pass down to her when she’s ready. However, her temper and anxiety hold her back from taking on the responsibility of the business he built with his own two hands. 

Ember meets a sensitive water man named Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), with whom she quickly begins to develop a romantic spark. However, society doesn’t believe that elements mix, as the pair set off on an adventure that will change their lives forever and send ripples through Element City that will rock its very foundation.

Elemental is a romantic tale at its core, but it’s coated in on-the-nose social commentary that doesn’t have the nuance of Pixar’s punchier films. Ember’s parents moved to Element City to provide a better future for their family, leaving with only a traditional blue flame from home. Meanwhile, Ember only knows Element City, but she inherited both her father’s greatest fears and dreams, for better or worse. He promises her the shop that he built with his own two hands if she’s able to control her temper with difficult customers, which becomes a major part of her journey.

Water and fire citizens are at odds, holding dangerous assumptions about one another. Elemental digs its teeth into racism and microaggressions in a Romeo and Juliet-adjacent love story that this world’s social norms reject with the statement: “Elements don’t mix.” The relationship between fathers and their children is a prevalent theme, including the questioning of harmful stereotypes. The nuanced connection between fathers and children stretches between Ember and Wade’s lives, shaping their personal journeys. However, Elemental puts emphasis on overly-familiar story beats, leaving the film’s most fascinating themes in the dust.

Pixar’s unique and pun-filled worldbuilding is in full effect, sporting the majority of the movie’s creativity. The bright and vibrant Element City begs for further exploration, offering contrasting color palettes that pop off the screen according to a given element. However, the character and landscape designs are a tad generic in the attempt at personifying elements.

Elemental’s delightful romantic chemistry is clouded by a tired formula, lackluster social commentary, and emotionally surface-level payoffs. There are so many ideas thrown at the wall, but the majority of them are abandoned soon after their introduction. 

Elemental hits theaters on June 16th, 2023.

Rating: 2.5/5

Follow Jeff at @SirJeffNelson