Pixar’s New Movie Is Blowing Up Reviews & Winning Hearts According to First Reactions

Pixar’s latest animated movie, Elio, is landing in theaters this week, and early reviews are already in. The film is getting mostly positive reactions, though not everyone is completely sold on it. While many critics are praising its charm and heart, others say it doesn’t quite hit the emotional highs Pixar is known for.

The story follows a young boy named Elio who accidentally gets mistaken for Earth’s ambassador after being beamed up by aliens. He ends up in the middle of an intergalactic society called the Communiverse, where he has to find his place and prove himself to a bunch of quirky alien creatures.

Most critics agree the movie has a sweet core. Joey Magidson from Awards Radar called it “a genuinely sweet and heartwarming film” and said it proves Pixar still has what it takes. Hannah Rose from CBR also liked how Elio handled real feelings, saying it’s “full of relatable themes, including processing grief, the need to belong and found family.”

Other reviewers pointed to how the movie manages to balance laughs, emotion, and an original sci-fi setting that feels fresh and creative. Jason Escamilla from EskimoTV described it as being “like being wrapped in a blanket stitched with stardust.”

But not all the reviews were glowing. Brian Orndorf from Blu-ray.com thought the film looked great but didn’t have much depth. He gave it a C grade and said “the story leaps into a visually dazzling, kinetic sci-fi fantasy that feels exhaustingly hollow.”

Elio doesn’t follow Pixar’s usual narrative, failing to forge a coherent connection to the studio’s defining theme of exploring the human condition. Instead, the story leaps into a visually dazzling, kinetic sci-fi fantasy that feels exhaustingly hollow.

M.N. Miller InSession Film

It’s a delightful movie, and another reminder of Pixar’s creativity when they inch away from the financial lure of sequels.

Brian Orndorf Blu-ray.com

Full of relatable themes, including processing grief, the need to belong and found family, Elio pulls on the heartstrings in more ways than one.

Britany Murphy Muses of Media

Although the storytelling is solid, sweet and sensitive, Elio doesn’t quite live up to its full potential.

Hannah Rose CBR

A genuinely sweet and heartwarming film that shows how much Pixar can still score some winners in an age of Hollywood uncertainty.

Jack Martin Film Feeder

There is a whiff of desperation chasing the Pixar emotional highs of the past, which is unsuccessful considering the story and characters here are too simplistic and half-baked to elicit that reaction when the time comes

Robert Kojder Flickering Myth

It’s all about radical acceptance but can only talk about the real-world application of its message in general metaphors, so people who don’t actually accept ‘weird,’ ‘different’ kids won’t have to think about how wrong they are.

William Bibbiani TheWrap

For a movie about someone learning, in both literal and emotional ways, that he’s not alone in the universe, Elio has real trouble getting out of its own head.

Alison Willmore New York Magazine/Vulture

The film’s production has its own interesting story. Director Adrian Molina first came up with Elio as a personal tale about growing up feeling like an outsider. It was inspired by his childhood on a military base and his later experiences in art school.

But Molina left the project in 2024 to work on Coco 2, and directors Domee Shi and Rosana Sharafian stepped in to finish the film. Pixar used some new tech to create the bright, colorful look of the alien world, and composer Rob Simonsen handled the music.

Yonas Kibreab voices Elio, while Zoe Saldaña plays his aunt, Olga. The movie also features a wild mix of alien characters voiced by Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirley Henderson, and others.

Elio opens in U.S. theaters on June 20, 2025. While it may not be the next Inside Out, the early reactions suggest it’s still a fun and emotional ride that many families will enjoy — especially those looking for something new.

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