Pixar Animation Studios’ Elio (animation; dubbed) is the story of young Elio Solis who wants to be kidnapped by aliens. His wish is fulfilled when his aunt sends him to a camp. Elio is brought by his abductor to Communiverse, a place where aliens of all kinds bring knowledge from their own worlds to share with others. They send a clone in his place to Earth while Elio is inducted as a candidate for ambassador of Earth. In the Communiverse, Elio befriends Glordon who is the son of Grigon. Elio wants Grigon to leave the Communiverse as he (Grigon) had wanted to threaten the lives of the aliens. Elio learns that Glordon does not want to become a war machine and so Elio clones Glordon, and puts the real Glordon on an escape shuttle. He gives Grigon the fake Glordon. However, Grigon finds out where Elio is hiding his son. He sends his troops to find his son. Meanwhile, Questa (one of the ambassadors) sends Elio back home to evade Grigon. Here, Glordon accidentally starts the shuttle and heads towards Earth. Back on Earth, Elio realises that his aunt loves him and is pining for him, having realised that the one staying with her is a clone and not the real Elio. Anyway, Elio and his aunt head to rescue Glordon. They hand over a dying Glordon to Grigon. In the nick of time, Grigon saves his son. Elio is now welcomed to be an ambassador of Communiverse. Does Elio accept the offer?
Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina and Julia Cho have written a story which is good in parts, but it gets boring at places. The screenplay, penned by Julia Cho, Mark Hammer and Mike Jones, is engaging at times but not so interesting at other times. The last part of the drama has an emotional quotient which touches the heart.
The voice acting of the animation characters is good, generally speaking. But the dubbing by some of the actors could’ve been better.
Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina have done a fairly good job of the direction. Rob Simonsen’s music is appropriate to the drama. Derek Williams and Jordan Rempel’s cinematography is quite nice. Editing (by Anna Wolitzky and Steve Bloom) is reasonably sharp but should’ve been sharper. Dubbing is proper.
On the whole, Elio has some masala for the kids but being an animation film, it cannot be expected to do much at the ticket counters as animation films do not generally score in India.
Released on 20-6-’25 at Gemini (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Star India Pvt. Ltd. Publicity & opening: ordinary. …….Also released all over. Opening was below the mark at most of the places.
