Cinema

Pixar is chained to its formula

The animation studio travels to space in 'Elio,' which stars an orphan boy in search of extraterrestrial life.

Still from 'Elio'
09/07/2025
1 min
  • Directed by: Adrian Molina, Domee Shi, and Madeline Sharafian. Written by: Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, and Mike Jones
  • 98 minutes
  • United States (2025)
  • Animation

One of the theories that have tried to explain Pixar's creative slump is the proliferation of sequels in a company that, during its first and magnificent era, released nine original films and only one sequel (And which one: Toy Story 2). Starting in 2010—and in line with the current Hollywood franchise hegemony—Pixar became a nostalgia-fueled, saga-lengthening machine. The solution to the artistic crisis seemed to lie in a return to original stories and creative risk. The problem, quite simply, is that Pixar's new original films aren't very original. And by repeating the same narrative and aesthetic ideas, they're getting boring.

A Elio, the fascination with space and the existence of extraterrestrial life are the refuge of a lonely orphan boy who makes his dream of being abducted by aliens come true, although he has to play the role of ambassador of the Earth in a kind of interplanetary UN (8 scientific optimism)ET, Explorers) are the obvious references of a film that, however, is chained to the studio's style book and that, from a certain point on, subordinates each phase of the story to the protagonist's emotional overcoming. Beneath this exercise in child therapy there is a quite entertaining adventure film with some effective gags and a well-tempered secondary character (Glordon), but the scars of the production are evident in the lack of ambition of the animation – especially regarding the humans – and the irregularity of the rhythm. The original (Adrian Molina) and Elio's personality were rewritten to erase any traces of queer.

[You can check the cinemas where it is shown in Catalan in this link]

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