2.5/5 stars
In an industry where originality is becoming an increasing rarity, Pixar is one company that prides itself on carving out unique stories. But not every story lands perfectly, a thought that strikes when it comes to the animation giantโs latest feature, Elio.
The tale of an orphaned boy who desperately wants to discover life in outer space, itโs maybe the closest weโve come to seeing Steven Spielbergโs E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rendered in cartoon form โ despite having far less of an impact.
When we join Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), he is hiding under a canteen table. We never find out what happened to his parents, but he is now the responsibility of his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaรฑa), who works on a military base.
Olga is kindly but unable to connect with her traumatised nephew. Instead, all he wants is to encounter interplanetary life forms. โAliens abduct me,โ he scrawls in the sand on the beach near the base.
Then, as he is being bullied by some local kids, his wish comes true. He is spirited away to meet an array of colourful aliens โ the so-called Communiverse.