--- title: "Elemental: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/elemental/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/elemental" critics_score: 58 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Elemental (2023): what the critics said Critics' score 58 from 18 reviews: 4 positive, 9 mixed, 5 negative. Most critics find Elemental a middling Pixar film: pleasant to look at, easy to sit through and lighter than the studio’s best. The praise gathers almost entirely around the animation, with the fire and water characters and the crowded, segregated Element City singled out repeatedly for their design. The central romance is generally liked too, as are the voice performances, and several reviews pick out a father-daughter thread as the film’s warmest material. The reservations cluster on the story. Reviewers call it formulaic, overstuffed with subplots and too close to earlier Pixar films, and they split on the immigration metaphor: Paste finds it handled with empathy, while Vulture and Deadline find it reductive and moralising. The spread is fairly wide, from a warm notice at Little White Lies to a run of dismissals, and The Guardian dissents on the one point most agree on, finding the romance short of chemistry. ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Rating 3/4/3. 6 July 2023. Opposites attract in this Pixar rom-com but the film plays it safe and never quite ignites. The director's ambition to bring new ideas is admirable and the voice cast has pleasant chemistry, yet the clichéd storyline and artificial animation leave it feeling scattered and limited. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/elemental) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 June 2023. The critic finds the story basic but praises the visually dazzling animation and the charming romance between fire and water elements, highlighting the tender voice performance of the water character. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-06-14/review-elemenal-pixar-fire-water-animation) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 July 2023. Fire and water fall for each other in a romantic racial harmony parable that develops into a genuinely sweet and moving courtship despite bending its own rules. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/elemental-disney-pixar-review/) ## Empire — Sophie Butcher Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 5 July 2023. The critic praises the central romance and voice performances but notes the film is overstuffed with plot strands and simplistic dialogue. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/elemental/) ## The AV Club — Manuel Betancourt Rating C+. 13 June 2023. The film is a beautiful-looking but paper-thin rom-com that struggles with emotional complexity and world-building overshadowing the story, with praise for the central duo and visual inventiveness. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-review-of-the-new-pixar-film-elemental-1850526746) ## Radio Times Rating 3/5. 27 May 2023. Festival review. Not top-tier Pixar but plenty heartfelt, with lovely moments in the city exploration and a cute love story boosted by a funny voice performance. Narratively it feels basic and short-changed, with immigration themes only cursorily examined. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/elemental-pixar-review-film-cannes-festival/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 27 May 2023. Festival review. A heartfelt tale of second-generation immigrant struggles that is visually outstanding, though emotions get bogged down by a familiar and cluttered story. Thoughtful ideas on inequality and xenophobia are present but not always subtle. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/elemental-cannes-review/5182636.article) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 3/5. 3 July 2023. The film ambitiously tackles segregation and ghettoisation through its element world but lacks storytelling muscle for the metaphor to land fully. Some fun action and strong voice work stand out, especially the meet-the-parents scene, but overall it feels slight to middling. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/elemental-2023) ## Total Film — James Mottram Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 27 May 2023. The critic appreciates the sweet nature and visuals but criticizes the lack of depth in exploring themes. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/elemental-review-pixar/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2023. The film has visual energy in its segregated city setting but the central romance lacks persuasive chemistry. It draws parallels with other Pixar films but falls short in inventive storytelling and laughs. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/09/elemental-review-pixar-fire-and-water-romance-struggles-to-ignite) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 6 July 2023. The critic finds it a cute but stale retread of Pixar tropes that fails to justify its existence compared to better entries. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/elemental-review-golden-age-pixar-over-2457244) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 27 May 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the film overcomplicated and a misfire despite the high-concept ideas, praising the emotional father-daughter scene but criticizing the excessive world-building and multitasking plot. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/elemental-review-pixar-1235626948/) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 15 June 2023. The critic sees it as a messy metaphor for interracial romance and immigrant stories that falls into stereotypes and clichés, praising the visuals and design but criticizing the undercooked concept and reductiveness. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/elemental-review-pixars-metaphor-for-interracial-romance.html) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★☆☆. 6 July 2023. High on concept but low on fun, the immigrant story told through elements is fine but feels like an overearnest entertainer that fails to engage fully. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/a0b26686-e081-4a9c-bb20-7a82defd7334) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Jordan Mintzer 27 May 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the film underwhelming and predictable despite its timely immigrant metaphor and visual appeal, praising the character of Bernie but noting it feels like a generic Pixar entry. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/elemental-review-pixar-1235502286/) ## The Times — Ed Potton Rating ★★★☆☆. 28 May 2023. Festival review. A flawed but big-hearted tale of forbidden love in Element City that is beautiful but drippy overall. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/elemental-film-review-pixar-0ctbqdq0k) ## /Film — Josh Spiegel Rating 7/10. 12 June 2023. Elemental is a charming but formulaic original Pixar film that excels in animation and offers a tentative romance with some immigrant story elements, though it leans too heavily on familiar mismatched-buddy tropes. It is better than recent sequels but signals a need for the studio to innovate. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1311022/elemental-review/) ## Film Stories — Lauren Miles Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 7 July 2023. The film offers a sweet father-daughter story and a cute romance between fire and water elements that feels natural. It boasts flawless visuals and personal themes but lacks the creative spark of earlier Pixar films. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/elemental-review-a-sweet-story-from-pixar/) ## Collider — Therese Lacson Rating C+. 31 May 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the film formulaic and overly similar to Zootopia, with a clumsy handling of the immigrant story that lacks nuance. They praise the beautiful animation and heartwarming elements but note the story fails to stand out. [Read the review](https://collider.com/elemental-review/) ## The Playlist — Nick Allen Rating C. 13 June 2023. Pixar's animation craft is impressive, but the dull, safe story fails to deliver emotional ambition or wit in its heavy-handed metaphor about immigration and tolerance. The romantic comedy template and expected turns make it suitable only for completists. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/elemental-review-pixars-fire-water-metaphor-for-tolerance-differences-is-sadly-dull-safe-20230613/) ## Eye for Film — Andrew Robertson Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 6 July 2023. The film competently executes familiar Pixar tropes and an immigrant romance metaphor but piles on too many elements, resulting in a fizzling story that fails to carry its weightier themes. It draws from earlier animated features without enough originality or cohesion. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/elemental-2023-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) ## Deadline — Stephanie Bunbury 27 May 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the film visually splendid with a clever concept and inventive world-building but criticizes it as dull-witted, syrupy and overly sentimental in its romance and messaging about immigrants. They argue the protracted will-they-won't-they plot and moralizing undermine the Pixar-level invention. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2023/05/elemental-review-disney-pixar-cannes-film-festival-1235381852/) ## Paste — Jason Gorber Rating 7.0. 16 June 2023. The critic highlights the effective cross-cultural love story and immigrant themes handled with empathy, along with strong character chemistry and sublime animation. They note the plot feels a bit pat in places but overall find it satisfying and moving. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/pixar/elemental-review) ## The Wrap 27 May 2023. Festival review. The critic praises the film's visual craftsmanship, inventive character designs and trailblazing animation techniques as a vibrant showcase for studio animation. They note it falls somewhat short of previous Pixar highs in storytelling, with an episodic narrative and simple metaphors that live up to the title. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/elemental-review-cannes/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/elemental.md