At first glance, Elemental appeared to be a sequel to Inside Out with similar animation, making it feel neither new nor exciting. It just felt like something we’ve already seen.
The story is set in a world ruled by four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. The main focus is on an immigrant fire family who moves to Elemental City to start a new life. They face numerous rejections until they finally find a place to set up a store made of molten rock, suitable for their fiery nature.
Their daughter, Ember (Leah Lewis), loves helping her dad (Ronnie del Carmen) at the store and dreams of taking it over one day. However, she has a temper problem. One day, her temper causes a massive explosion, bringing a water person named Wade (Mamoudou Athie) into the scene. Wade, a city inspector, issues numerous citations, threatening to shut down her dad’s store. The story then takes an “enemies to lovers” turn, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet.
One major problem I had was identifying the target audience. Pixar typically appeals to children with adult sensibilities, but Elemental leans heavily towards adult themes. As an adult who enjoys animated films, I didn’t mind, but I doubt children would find it entertaining. The humor was sparse, with only a couple of jokes that got laughs.
I feel like the director (Peter Sohn) had a personal experience with a relationship that inspired this story of blending two very different elements—fire and water. While the concept was romantic, it wasn’t particularly funny or engaging. The film tries to tackle themes of intercultural and interracial relationships, but falls short by making the characters literal fire and water.
The film also portrays a prejudice against the fire people, likely due to their destructive nature. This felt a bit forced and didn’t resonate with me. As someone who grew up in an immigrant family running a small business, I related to Ember’s struggles. However, the film’s portrayal of intercultural relationships felt very California-centric and out of touch with broader experiences.
I also wish the film had included closed captioning. The parents speak with a made-up accent, making some dialogue hard to follow. Consistency in the accents was lacking, adding to the confusion.
A major plot point involved the family bringing a blue flame lantern, symbolizing their traditions. This reminded me of Fiddler on the Roof, where traditions hold the community together. However, the film missed an opportunity to fully explore this theme. Instead of carrying the tradition with her, Ember sacrifices her relationship and love for the blue flame, which felt unresolved.
The story also tries to highlight the challenges of blending cultures in a relationship. However, making the characters fire and water seemed too simplistic and literal. Ember’s temper is portrayed as a sign that she’s not living her truth, a message I disagree with. Self-actualization as her only goal felt unbalanced, especially when Wade accepts her behavior without question, which isn’t realistic or healthy.
Considering the cost of movie tickets and concessions, I’d advise picking another film or waiting until it hits Disney+. This one didn’t justify the expense for me. Moreover, I don’t think many parents will take their kids once they learn about the lesbian kiss scene. While Pixar has been incorporating more LGBTQ+ elements into their films, the box office results suggest mixed reactions. This isn’t a judgment on the scene itself, but an observation of its potential impact on the film’s marketability.
Overall, the more I think about the elements of this story, the less I agree with it. The plot felt garbled and unfocused, trying to cram too many themes into one film.
★★★
