Elemental (2023) Romance Movie Review
Pixar used to be amazing, creating unique and heartwarming films like "Toy Story," "Ratatouille," "Up," and "Inside Out." However, lately, they seem to be falling short of their past excellence. They've been focused on making sequels and their recent original films like "Soul," "Luca," and "Turning Red" all involve characters transforming into animals, which is a bit overdone.
The latest film, "Elemental," reflects Pixar's struggle to recapture its original magic. The story is set in a city where natural elements represent different social classes. Unfortunately, the film messes up its world-building and turns the central metaphor into an awkward racial allegory. The pacing is off, and the writing is so predictable that it feels like it was created by an AI algorithm. Overall, "Elemental" feels underdeveloped and misses the mark, making it a colorful but missed opportunity.
%20Romance%20Movie.jpg "Elemental (2023) Romance Movie")
Closing the 76th Cannes Film Festival, "Elemental" is set for a mid-June release in the United States. The movie presents a bustling urban landscape reminiscent of Disney's "Zootopia," where ideas of racial discrimination are simplified, much like predator-prey dynamics. In Element City, a similar simplification occurs, with socially privileged water people living in high-rises and fire folk in Firetown, reflecting different cultural traditions. However, the film only superficially explores the interactions between these elements, making the city feel more like concept art than a fully fleshed-out environment.
The story revolves around Ember Lumen, a hot-tempered second-generation immigrant from Fireland, working in her father's shop. Ember questions whether to inherit the family business or explore her unique gifts, leading her to a partnership with city inspector Wade. As their romance unfolds, the film introduces an odd rule: "elements don't mix" in Element City. This adds an extra layer to their relationship, labeled as an interracial love story, a new territory for Pixar with human characters.
After setting up the typical Pixar storyline, where opposites attract and then separate over a misunderstanding, "Elemental" keeps Ember and Wade's relationship at its heart. Despite the rushed chain of events, their bond becomes the film's endearing focus, providing a break from confusing metaphors and conceptual hiccups in the story's inner reality.
Leah Lewis and Mamoudou Athie bring life to Ember and Wade with playful warmth and exciting animation. However, the film's use of color, form, and movement is limited by unimaginative storytelling. Only a few standout moments, like an underwater garden scene and a hand-drawn animation detour, distinguish "Elemental" from other Pixar films. Unfortunately, the film lacks the wondrous aesthetic imagination of classics like "Finding Nemo" and "Wall-E," with only the rich musical score by Thomas Newman offering a glimpse into cross-cultural exchange.
In the end, despite its moments, "Elemental" lacks the lasting impact of Pixar's best works and quickly fades from memory once you leave the theater.