Most critics land somewhere in the middle on Elio, and the spread is wide: full marks at one end, two stars at the other. The praise clusters on the look of the thing, above all the kaleidoscopic Communiverse, and on Glordon, the alien whose friendship with Elio nearly every review names as the film’s emotional centre. Several also admire the Earth-bound opening about a lonely boy, and a few find the third act moving. The reservations cluster just as tightly: the plotting is called scattered, the space sequences formulaic, and the whole thing, again and again, second-tier Pixar that ticks familiar boxes without much surprise. The Times finds it inert and machine-tooled; Deadline says the story loses its way entirely; The New York Times sees a retreat into reassuring lessons. The Wrap makes a complaint no one else does, that the film approaches difference only through safe metaphors. HeyUGuys stands almost alone in calling it bold.
E
Empire
17 June 2025 · Laura Venning
80*
The critic finds Elio a charming and visually inventive Pixar adventure that overcomes a slow, formulaic start with spectacular alien worlds and heartfelt character connections. They single out the psychedelic Communiverse design and the endearing friendship between Elio and the alien Glordon for praise.
A touching treaty on the search for belonging in Pixar’s sweet new intergalactic adventure. The first act is exceptional and the friendship between Elio and Glordon becomes the emotional core, bolstered by remarkable voice work.
The critic praises the film's focus on infinite possibility, connection, and poignant loneliness, highlighting its alien designs and humanistic moments about finding community where least expected.
The review finds plenty of inventive sci-fi moments and sweet-natured storytelling but concludes it lands as second-tier Pixar due to tinkering and a lack of emotional depth or specificity in friendships.
The critic views the film as a mature work of family entertainment that is emotionally grounded and smarter than most animated fare, even if it lacks the wit and surprise of Pixar's best. He singles out the buddy-movie dynamic between Elio and the alien Glordon, along with the original solutions in the final stretch, for particular praise.
The film offers charm, likability and childhood loneliness and vulnerability in its Earth-bound opening, but loses some charge once it shifts to the goofy space-alien sequences, which feel a little formulaic.
Elio is a pleasant but unexceptional mid-level Pixar film with lovely visuals and plenty of heart, though the story feels familiar and lacks the humour and perceptiveness of the studio’s best work; it is still a marked improvement on recent efforts like Elemental and Lightyear.
It is an agreeable junior space odyssey that is too scattershot to be high-end Pixar but has a refreshingly zany take on one boy’s loneliness, with the father-son reconciliation subplot among the space slugs standing out as particularly touching.
The critic notes pleasures like the adorable alien Glordon but faults the film for overthinking and struggling to fully develop the main character's alienation and emotional arc despite its theme of connection.
The critic finds the film a lackluster science-fiction adventure that delivers predictable Pixar bright spots but ultimately feels like creative surrender to reassuring, familiar lessons. She singles out the visually wondrous cosmic adventure and the sparkly, kaleidoscopic Communiverse for praise while faulting the draggy story and Marvel-lite elements.
It is a surprisingly human Spielbergian tale of a lonely orphan who finds himself representing Earth, nodding to classics with subtlety and welcome charm even if it is not quite on their level.
Pixar’s latest will charm more children than adults in this Spielbergian tale of fantasy and wish-fulfilment that lacks the emotional pull and heart to become a classic for all ages. Despite beautiful renderings of the Milky Way, it simply doesn’t have the energy to keep older audiences engaged.
Pixar’s interstellar animation fails to hit the studio’s previous heights in this overstuffed but bighearted story that feels a bit mechanical in its exploration of family, friendship and loss. The ingredients do not blend as smoothly as in the best Pixar films, resulting in a collection of disjointed narrative pieces.
Pixar’s new intergalactic CG cartoon feels turgidly familiar at times but is saved by strong third-act payoffs and a redemption that’s moving rather than mawkish. The heart is convincingly melancholic, with a clever subplot involving the aunt and a standout transformation scene.
The critic calls it a sweet but familiar and inessential Pixar adventure that checks expected boxes without surprise or deep emotion. Glordon's design and some visual flourishes are singled out for praise.
Pixar has once again made a film about a protagonist who finds out their greatest weakness is their biggest strength, resulting in something mostly inert and machine-tooled that slavishly adheres to recent formula.
The critic calls it a bold and beautiful Pixar entry that dares to dream big while delivering laughs, wonder, and warmth. They single out the stunning, inventive visuals of the Communiverse and its nods to sci-fi classics like E.T. and Contact.
The critic finds it expertly delivered with eye-catching visuals and genuine heart, expertly handling familiar themes for a new generation. They single out the charming friendship between Elio and his alien pal Glordon along with the emotional openness and visual variety.
The critic deems it vintage Pixar and arguably its best original since Coco, full of laughs, heart, and dazzling visuals that handle emotionally challenging places. They single out the tearjerker finale and the dynamic between Elio and his alien friend Glordon.
The critic sees it as a classic Pixar risk with dazzling visuals and a heartfelt core about connection, but criticizes scattered plotting and uneven emotional payoffs.
The review finds the film visually appealing and likable on the surface but hypocritical in its message of accepting outsiders, as it only addresses queerness and difference through safe metaphors rather than directly. It highlights strong craft but faults the unwillingness to fully commit to its themes.
The critic argues that despite a strong central premise about a lonely boy seeking connection with aliens, the film loses its way and fails to deliver a coherent or satisfying story. It praises the visual spectacle but criticizes the compromised ending and lack of originality in its execution.
The critic calls it a lightweight but earnest summer diversion focused on belonging and self-discovery, praising strong voice work while noting it falls short of greater ambitions.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
